Feds finalize No Surprises Act rule overhauling dispute process

The Trump administration has finalized a long-awaited overhaul of the system used to settle out-of-network billing disputes between insurers and providers, amid growing criticism that the process is inefficient and susceptible to gaming (Source: “Trump administration reforms surprise billing dispute resolution,” Healthcare Dive, May 28).
 
The rule finalized by HHS and the Labor and Treasury Departments on Thursday is meant to make dispute resolution more streamlined and lower costs for participating companies, regulators said. It’s also aimed at reducing ineligible claims for payment, which have contributed to snowballing disputes and spurred calls for reform from insurers.
 
The rule makes it easier to combine multiple claims into one dispute, standardizes stakeholder communication during arbitration and lowers filing fees. It also sketches out plans for a new centralized platform for managing disputes, which will launch in phases starting this year.