Effective July 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 72 will limit the surprise medical bills that patients in California receive when treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network healthcare facility. These surprise bills, also referred to as the practice of balance-billing, affect patients nationwide. While California previously passed similar legislation aimed at limiting surprise bills in the context of emergency care, this newest law is the State's biggest step towards further minimizing a patient's exposure to unexpected medical costs.