U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown backs the End Surprise Billing Act

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, wants to help stop surprise health care charges, he said during a Tuesday news conference.

Brown outlined The End Surprise Billing Act, legislation designed to protect patients experiencing a medical emergency from being charged more than in-network rates for emergency care. He spoke at the Ohio Nurses Association District 3 office in Austintown.

“We want to make sure patients no longer feel the pain of surprise billing,” said Linda Warino, ONA District 3 executive director. “[Patients] are sick enough when they get admitted, and when they go home, the last thing they want is a bill they never expected.”

ONA District 3 President Carol Smith said the legislation “is a step to take some of the cloth off” so patients can see what they are paying for.

“It’s tough trying to tangle through the mass of what is health care,” Smith said.

Amber Jamison, a St. Vincent Charity Medical Center of Cleveland registered intensive care unit nurse, said as a mother of a daughter with asthma and a friend of a recent stroke victim, she has both seen and experienced surprise billing.

“It’s hard when profits are put over patients,” she said.

Brown suggests that while the legislation is in its early stages, patients always ask about all charges of their care when they are able to.