The 'No Surprises Act' -- What You Need to Know
On January 1, the federal “No Surprises Act” took effect in the United States. The statute protects patients when receiving emergency care, non-emergency care from out-of-network providers at in-network sites, and air-ambulance care from out-of-network providers.
Under the act, physicians are required to give disclosure about protections against balance billing — namely, passing the difference between what the doctor charged and the insurance company paid onto the patient — to everyone enrolled in commercial health insurance.
These protections were already afforded to those Americans covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The statute also outlines rules about when patients do not consent to post-stabilization care at out-of-network emergency departments, as well as in what cases consent can be sought.
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