Are you worried about surprise medical bills? The recently passed No Surprises Act aims to protect consumers, but many people are still unsure about its implications. Fortunately, several organizations have added resources to help you understand the new legislation. Read on to learn more.
Advisories, information sheets, and FAQs are now available to assist hospitals, health systems, physicians, and consumers in navigating the new rules against surprise billing. Despite ongoing legal challenges, key elements of the No Surprises Act took effect on January 1, and various stakeholder organizations are offering guidance to their members.
Latest Updates:
American Hospital Association (AHA):
- On Friday, the AHA published a legislative advisory summarizing the No Surprises Act and its key takeaways. The advisory includes a 15-page detailed summary of the rules. “The hospital and health system field strongly supports protecting patients from surprise medical bills,” the AHA stated. They believe this legislation is a significant step forward in patient protection. The AHA’s advisory webpage also links to additional resources, including an FAQ on good faith estimates for uninsured/self-pay patients, details about the AHA/AMA lawsuit challenging billing dispute resolutions, and information on CMS guidance
American Medical Association (AMA):
- Also on Friday, the AMA published an advocacy update for physicians. It includes a new toolkit focusing on three key issues: notice-and-consent requirements for out-of-network care at in-network facilities, rules about emergency and post-stabilization care, and good faith estimates for self-pay and uninsured patients. An AMA Advocacy Insights webinar on January 20 will explore these topics further.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
- CMS added new online resources for consumers explaining their new billing protections effective January 1. These include protections for emergency care, non-emergency care from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, and air ambulance services from out-of-network providers. The CMS website states, “Through new rules aimed at protecting consumers, excessive out-of-pocket costs are restricted, and emergency services must continue to be covered without prior authorization, regardless of network status.” The page also provides links to resources that explain what surprise bills are and the new consumer protections.
Additional resources for hospitals and health systems are available from the Healthcare Financial Management Association and the Medical Group Management Association.
For more details, visit the original article on healthleadersmedia.com.