As Trump concluded his first presidential term, he enacted legislation to protect Americans from surprise medical billing. However, his administration's push to reduce government spending, influenced by figures like Elon Musk, led to significant layoffs at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO). The recent cutbacks, which resulted in a workforce reduction of 15%, hinder the agency's capacity to manage disputes over out-of-network medical bills, prompting concerns from health insurers and former officials about the agency's future effectiveness and the integrity of its operations.
"The chaos has put everyone in a tailspin," Grant said of the job cuts in an interview with KFF Health News.
"We're going to hold insurance companies and hospitals totally accountable," Trump said, emphasizing the need to protect Americans from surprise medical bills.
Grant blasted the layoffs as a "grievous error" in a strongly worded letter to the acting human resources director.
Health insurers have also raised concerns about maintaining the agency's work on surprise bills, highlighting the impact of the budget cuts.
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