Understanding Surprise Billing in the US & How the No Surprises Act Aims to Curb It

Managed Care Cast

On December 30th, 2021 the No Surprises Act went into effect. Broadly speaking, the act aims to curb surprise bills Americans may incur when they receive care from an out-out-network provider. In response to the act’s implementation, the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, and others sued, claiming the law jeopardizes patients’ access to care on the basis that providers and insurers must negotiate these costs when they arise, and if an agreement is not made, an arbitration process for determining fair payment will take place. On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Mark Miller, PhD, the executive vice president of health care at Arnold Ventures. In our conversation, Miller lays out how this law came about, its implications for patients, and what might happen if lawsuits against it succeed.