The Biden administration on Thursday issued an interim final rule with comment period to further implement the No Surprises Act – a consumer protection law that helps curb the practice of surprise medical billing. The rule – which goes into effect Jan. 1 – builds on an interim final rule issued back in July that bans […]

The hospital industry blasted HHS on Thursday over an interim final rule laying out the new independent dispute resolution process for the surprise billing law, which hospitals say ignores congressional intent and puts the thumb on the scale in favor of insurers. But insurers and other stakeholders applaud the administration’s direction, saying that by requiring […]

The Biden administration’s first rule implementing a landmark 2020 law aimed at protecting patients against high hospital and doctor bills in emergencies and other situations will lower costs for patients, a group that represents large employers said. But hospitals are worried the No Surprises Act’s rules won’t get at the real problem driving surprise billing—inadequate […]

With five months before the surprise billing ban takes effect, the Biden administration hasn’t released many of the most important details about how the No Surprises Act will work, leaving providers and insurers little time to plan for the changes. CMS’ first rule outlawing balance billing contained expected patient protections against surprise billing and high cost-sharing […]

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury, and the Office of Personnel Management, issued “Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part I,” an interim final rule that will restrict excessive out of pocket costs to consumers from surprise billing and balance billing. Surprise billing happens when people […]

Reps. Van Drew, Smith, Pascrell, Payne and nearly 100 other House members sent a letter to HHS and the Treasury urging that their rulemaking for the No Surprises Act reflect congressional intent for a balanced process to settle payment disputes between health plans and providers. See the letter here

More than 20 organizations are urging the administration to adhere to a core set of principles when drafting regulations to prevent patients from receiving costly “surprise” medical bills, POLITICO’s Rachel Roubein reports. In a letter to three Biden cabinet secretaries, the groups said the administration should set rules that provide consumers with clear protections from unexpected charges […]

The first part of the highly anticipated rulemaking on the surprise billing legislation enacted late last year is now under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), surprising some stakeholders who expected CMS might miss early deadlines. The interim final rule is expected to encompass provisions of the No Surprise Act […]

The first rule implementing a 2020 law limiting medical bills in emergencies and in other situations beyond patients’ control is under review by the the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.  How the Biden administration interprets the No Surprises Act, passed as part of appropriations legislation (H.R. 133) late in 2020, will likely be […]