Currently six giant insurance companies effectively control the health care market place. These health plans, that more often put profits above patients, dictate to physicians the cost, quality and availability of health care.
Physicians have little or no leverage to rebuff the strong-arm tactics of the big HMOs.
The result is that patients are being denied needed care. HR 1304 allows price-fixing. Currently health plans dictate the price of health care and the fees paid to health care professionals for health care services they provide. HR 1304 would merely allow physicians and other health care professionals to negotiate fair fees in good faith, not set them. No fees would be paid to physicians unless the health plan and the physicians agree.