Last Updated: Oct 19, 2023

Earlier this year Rep. Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) introduced legislation (HB 636) that proposed to amend Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, to protect consumers from “junk fees” when making ordinary purchases for goods or services such as concert tickets, booking airfare or reserving a hotel room.  While efforts are underway at the federal level to eliminate these fees, Rep. Pisciottano’s legislation was aimed at requiring full disclosure of all fees associated with a given purchase. 

Prior to the bill’s consideration earlier this week, PAMED identified an amendment that had been filed to HB 636 that would have required physicians to provide patients with “good faith estimates” of the anticipated cost of their care and any expected out of pocket expenses.  Recognizing the negative impact this amendment would have to medical practices across the state, PAMED’s government affairs staff immediately contacted top leadership staff and the lawmaker who had offered the amendment.  After several discussions with top leadership staff in the House of Representatives, along with the sponsor of the amendment, PAMED’s request that the amendment be pulled from consideration was granted. 

“This is the kind of legislative advocacy that happens behind the scenes that our members rarely hear about,” said PAMED President F. Wilson Jackson, III, MD.