No Surprises Act takes effect, leading to a mix of cheers and jeers from heart specialists
Many provisions of the No Surprises Act took effect on Jan. 1, and the new legislation continues to draw mixed reactions from healthcare organizations throughout the United States.
The bill, designed to limit unexpected medical bills, has been a hot topic of debate since before it was even signed into law. In November 2021, for example, dozens of organizations—including the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Medical Association (AMA)—urged the Biden administration to consider making changes to the legislation, specifically its planned approach to the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process. One month later, the American College of Radiology, American College of Emergency Physicians and American Society of Anesthesiologists all sued the federal government over the bill’s proposed IDR process, predicting it will “financially pit providers against patients.”
The American Heart Association (AHA), meanwhile, has been a consistent supporter of the legislation, focusing on its benefits for patients. In a new statement, the group said patients are “breathing a sigh of relief knowing they are now protected from surprise bills.”
“Patients suffering from emergency medical needs including heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke, must be able to prioritize their health and not live in fear of the financial crisis brought on by receiving a surprise medical bill,” according to the AHA statement. “We are grateful to the law’s bipartisan champions in Congress who have seen this law through from the beginning. It is now imperative that patients understand their rights under the No Surprises Act so they can recognize and take appropriate action to protect themselves and their families from the financial burden of surprise medical bills.”
The ACC released its own statement after the No Surprises Act took effect, highlighting its continued concerns while noting that clinicians now need to make sure they are fully complying with the law.
Additional information from CMS on the No Surprises Act is available here. The AMA’s own resources can be read here.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.