"In September California Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 72 requiring that policies issued on or after next July 1 provide that if an insured patient receives covered services at an in-network facility from an out-of-network provider, the patient needn't pay more than the in-network provider rate. There is an exception when the patient has specifically consented to the higher rate; that bill wouldn't be a surprise.... New York State protects patients from surprise bills not only when they are treated at an in-network facility but also when referred by an in-network physician to an out-of-network physician or service provider, including laboratory services."  MORE >>