By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest
Accountability and transparency have long been buzzwords in American politics. Many Americans, in fact, wish there was more accountability and transparency within the government system. Many people applauded when President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to take steps to improve transparency in healthcare.
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Executive Order Calls for Transparency in Healthcare Costs
President Trump’s executive order requires that patients be informed of healthcare costs prior to being cared for. This new measure will be complicated because it will require a lot of administrative coordination at the local level. Despite this issue, this executive order should help alleviate surprise medical bills, an issue that has been at the forefront of healthcare policy discussions.
Ending surprise medical bills has been gaining momentum nationwide. In emergency medicine, patients have experienced these types of medical bills for using a civilian medevac company for a serious medical or trauma emergency. In some cases, the insurance companies would not pay for the transportation, and the patient would receive an astronomical medical bill as a result.
Complications Associated with Emergency Medicine
While President Trump’s executive order will alleviate some medical bills, it could complicate matters for emergency medical services and emergency medicine in general. When emergencies happen, it’s difficult to estimate the medical care a patient will need.
In some cases, patients will be unconscious while in need of medical care. Attending EMT providers must act based on the notion of implied consent. This may require specific policy measures to account for such situations while working to implement the new order.
Overall, this executive order will promote accountability and transparency in medical care — a step in the right direction where healthcare policy is concerned.