No Surprises Act: Known Impacts on Surprise Medical Bills & What's Next

<p>Last week, the Biden administration issued an <a href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-9909-ifc-surprise-billing-disclaimer-50.pdf">interim final rule</a> to implement critical components of the No Surprises Act (NSA).</p><p>Building on the Affordable Care Act, the NSA includes new patient protections against surprise medical bills. </p><p>About <a href="https://www.kff.org/infographic/visualizing-health-policy-us-statistics-on-surprise-medical-billing/">one in five insured adults had an unexpected medical bill from an out-of-network provide</a>r, according to a 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation survey. A study released this week found that about one in five newborn hospitalizations or childbirth deliveries result in <a href="https://www.axios.com/childbirth-hospitalizations-surprise-medical-bill-0c495bab-ea83-446b-9c3d-ffb16dad46d1.html">receiving a surprise medical bill</a>.<br> <br>These surprise medical bills can cause financial stress to patients and their families.</p><p>Listen to <em>Health Affairs</em>' Senior Editors Leslie Erdelack and Chris Fleming break down the interim final rule, how it will impact surprise medical bills or "balance billing," and what we can expect regarding what's next.</p><p>Check out the <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/border-health-and-immigrant-health">July issue on Borders, Immigrants &amp; Health</a>. </p><p><a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20210622.883427/full/">Register for the July 12 Event on Border Health</a>.</p><p><strong>Related Links:</strong></p><ul> <li> <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20210706.903518/full/">Banning Surprise Bills: Biden Administration Issues First Rule on No Surprises Act</a> (<em>Health Affairs Blog</em>)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20201217.247010/full/">Unpacking The No Surprises Act: An Opportunity To Protect Millions</a> (<em>Health Affairs Blog</em>)</li> <li> <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01471">Emergency Ph