A year after the Biden administration implemented Congress’ law to ban surprise medical bills, the policy particulars are still caught up in litigation, and lawsuits are preventing insurers and hospitals from settling out-of-network disputes.
A 2021 law banned out-of-network surprise medical bills as of the beginning of last year. While patients are now protected from unexpected bills, providers and payers continue to duke it out over how out-of-network payment disputes are handled once they go to arbitration.
Since the law’s passage, providers have brought nearly 20 cases challenging the Biden administration’s interpretation of the rule, bringing some of the biggest players in the health care industry into the courtroom.
