‘Time’ Now to Pass Bill Reining in Medical Costs

A win-win solution to a medical cost problem so big that Time magazine recently devoted an entire issue to it now awaits action in the state Senate.

According to Time’s study, hospitals and surgical centers routinely charge far more–often 10 times more—than it costs to provide medical services.  

So, an amendment to SB 1074 calls for the Workers' Compensation Commission to set a medical fee schedule for hospitals and surgical centers in Connecticut to fairly determine medical charges in workers’ compensation cases. It’s a fair proposal because it will ensure reasonable fees are paid, and because fee schedules are already in place for all other healthcare providers.

Under SB 1074 neither hospitals nor employers would set the fee schedule, but the chair of the state Workers’ Compensation Commission would make the impartial decision.

While this solution will benefit both hospitals and employers, some hospitals are opposing setting up a fee schedule. They would rather charge whatever they want to, with the state, municipalities, and private-sector employers having to pay those charges. 

Employers are already facing an average workers’ comp increase of more than 7% this year; the upward trend has been driven in large part by rising medical costs.

With the session coming to a close, CBIA urges the Senate to approve SB 1074 in order to hold the line on skyrocketing medical costs.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Bonnie Stewart at 860.244.1925 or bonnie.stewart@cbia.com.