Effective July 1, 2017, AB 72 protects individuals from receiving unexpected ‘surprise’ medical bills from an out-of-network doctor when receiving inpatient and outpatient care at an in-network healthcare facility such as a hospital, clinic, imaging center or other healthcare facility.
If an out-of-network physician treats a patient at an in-network facility and does not obtain the patient’s consent to be treated by an out-of-network physician, then the physician will not be paid the full amount for his or her services from either the patient or the insurer.