Rye Brook, NY (December 21, 2020) - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society issues the following statement in response to Congress including policies designed to protect patients from surprise medical bills in the stimulus bill scheduled for a vote Monday, Dec. 21, 2020:

LLS applauds Congress for reaching a bipartisan agreement that will, after years of work, hold patients harmless from surprise medical bills. 

Patients are now one step closer to breathing a sigh of relief. For too long, they’ve faced the anxiety of knowing that any visit to a healthcare provider could result in a major, unanticipated charge. Patients receive surprise medical bills through no fault of their own, and in many cases, they can be impossible to avoid. Instead of worrying about surprise bills, patients will now be able to focus on what matters most: getting healthy. 

We are grateful for the entire community of blood cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers who shared their stories with lawmakers and helped end this underhanded practice. This year alone, LLS advocates met with 100 members of Congress and sent thousands of letters to Senators and Representatives – and they listened.

We look forward to working with Congress and the Biden Administration to ensure these policies are implemented in a way that continues to prioritize and protect patients.