The No Surprises Act, which went into effect in 2022, was designed to protect patients against surprise bills when they receive care from an out-of-network provider. Data suggest it has also had the unintended effect of raising medical costs.
The legislation ensures that consumers are well-protected from high charges for emergency care and out-of-network services that previously left them with unexpected medical bills, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a health research and philanthropy organization.
The problem lies with the law’s independent arbitration system, which was intended to be a seldom-used last resort for resolving disputes between providers and payers….