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- Legislation Introduced to Protect Physicians and Patients from Electronic Payment Transaction Fees
Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress introduced this No Fees for EFTs Act that would eliminate fees charged to physicians for receiving payment electronically. Insurers routinely require doctors to pay as much as 5% if they want to be reimbursed electronically.
"Fees associated with electronic transactions for physician services are an unnecessary and costly burden on providers and patients," said Rep. Murphy in a press release. "Greedy health insurers attempt to scalp doctors and patients every step of the way throughout the care process to line their pockets. We don't tolerate paying fees to receive direct deposit of a paycheck, likewise, doctors and patients should not be forced to pay predatory fees on electronic payments on essential health services."
In 2021, the American Medical Association (AMA) and over 90 other physician groups, including the CAP, urged the Biden administration to reinstate guidance protecting doctors’ right to receive electronic funds transfer (EFT) without fees.
In July 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said that EFT fees are allowed and are not prohibited under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).