UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES ACT BY CHARGING CONSUMERS FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES
#Hartford, CT -- Attorney General William Tong is alerting consumers to surcharges by healthcare providers that may violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged, if not required, to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and to require that their patients do so, too. However, some providers may be improperly charging patients for the additional PPE or other COVID-19 control measures. Attorney General Tong sent a letter this week to several healthcare provider associations and licensing boards to alert their members to the Office’s position that charging patients an additional fee for PPE constitutes illegal balance billing when the charges are assessed in connection with in-network services covered by the patients’ insurance plans. State laws prohibit participating…