Bill > S1140

This bill amends Section 1128B of the Social Security Act to create a safe harbor provision for information service providers (like online healthcare scheduling platforms) that help consumers find and schedule medical services. The bill establishes specific guidelines that these platforms must follow to avoid being considered as engaging in illegal remuneration practices. These guidelines include prohibitions on steering consumers to specific providers based on payment, preventing the platform from providing medical services or making medical promises, restricting how consumer contact information can be shared, and ensuring that compensation from healthcare providers is fair, pre-determined, and not tied to the volume of services recommended. The platform must also disclose financial arrangements, use objective criteria for listing providers, provide provider information based on consumer-centric criteria, and meet additional conditions set by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Additionally, the bill defines key terms like "consumer" (an individual using a web-based platform to search for healthcare providers) and "information service provider" (an entity operating such a platform). The overall goal is to lower barriers to healthcare access by creating clear rules for digital platforms that help patients find and schedule medical services.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1140/all-info