# 116-hr-8419: Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020

116-hr-8419, Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020, is a 116th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX); status Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8419
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 116-hr-8419
- Congress: 116
- Title: Stop COVID–19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020
- Status: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced: 2020-09-29
- Sponsor: Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7] (D-TX)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Stop COVID-19 Test Surprise Medical Bills Act of 2020 This bill modifies provisions requiring health insurance plans to cover COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) diagnostic testing services at no cost, without prior authorization, and without medical management requirements. The bill specifies that a plan may not make determinations about the circumstances surrounding individuals' tests, such as why they sought testing or whether they showed symptoms of COVID-19. The bill also specifies that plans may encourage individuals to obtain tests from lower priced providers as long as such efforts do not delay, or impede access to, testing. The bill also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to survey and report on the cash prices of testing services and the compliance of providers with the requirement to publish such prices. Additionally, HHS, jointly with the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Labor, must issue guidance clarifying the process for submitting claims for testing services.

## Related bills

- 116-hr-8858: ACCESS 45Q Act
- 116-hr-8702: Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID–19 Act of 2020
- 116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act
- 116-hr-8453: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5302 Galveston Road in Houston, Texas, as the "Vanessa Guillén Post Office Building".
- 116-hr-8402: To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and to place the statue in the United States Capitol in National Statuar…
- 116-hr-8340: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive in Stafford, Texas, as the "Leonard Scarcella Post Office Buildi…

## Sources
- [116-hr-8419 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/8419)

## Related
- [116-hr-8858: ACCESS 45Q Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8858)
- [116-hr-8702: Holding Providers Harmless From Medicare Cuts During COVID–19 Act of 2020](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8702)
- [116-hr-8662: Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8662)
- [116-hr-8453: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5302 G…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8453)
- [116-hr-8402: To direct the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Ruth Bader G…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8402)
- [116-hr-8340: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4110 B…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8340)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/116-hr-8419 (as of 2025-11-18).