The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has published a letter in support of the bipartisan and bicameral No Surprises Enforcement Act.
Introduced in July by members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, the bill would fine health insurance companies that fail to pay physicians within 30 days after losing the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process outlined in the No Surprises Act (NSA).
Under the NSA, physicians and practices can challenge payments by insurance providers if they are insufficient through the NSA’s IDR process. If the independent arbiter rules in favor of the physician, the insurer must pay within 30 days.
Anders Gilberg, senior vice president of government affairs, authored the MGMA letter. He wrote that the enforcement act would implement "commonsense accountability measures" for health plans that do not follow the law. He also highlighted that the IDR process under the NSA "has been plagued with difficulties," including significant backlogs, delays in payments, and complex regulatory procedures. The consequences cause practices to experience financial strain, he said.
The American College of Radiology and other medical societies have also lauded the introduction of the bill.
