Senators see possible conflicts of interest in health care pricing tools

Associated media – Linked media

In a statement, MultiPlan said it is working with Senate committees “to answer their questions and explain the costs and complexity patients may face” when choosing expensive care outside their networks. “We are committed to helping make healthcare transparent, fair and affordable for all,” the statement reads.

The commissions’ investigation reflects growing scrutiny of the New York-based company, which has remained largely out of the spotlight even as it has gained a dominant position in a lucrative health care sector.

Another senator, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, this month asked federal antitrust regulators to investigate whether insurers and MultiPlan were conspiring to fix prices, and several health systems have sued the company, accusing it of such behavior anticompetitive.

Separately, the Labor Department said Tuesday that it has “a number of open investigations” into the type of pricing services provided by MultiPlan, but declined to name specific companies. The agency, the primary regulator of employer-based health insurance, emphasized in a statement that companies are legally obligated to ensure that companies that process medical claims act in the best interests of their employees.

The letter from Mr. Wyden, a Democrat, and Mr. Sanders, an independent, also raises attention on employer-based health insurance, which is the most common way Americans get coverage and a major component of MultiPlan activities.

Connected media – Connected media
By Raymond Jr. Lambert

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