Update: ACR cheers addition of key provision to surprise billing legislation
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has cheered the inclusion of a key provision to the No Surprises Act (HR 3630), new legislation designed to address the issue of surprise medical bills.
The ACR and more than 100 other medical organizations had previously expressed concerns with the legislation, noting that it would lead to the federal government gaining the ability to set payment rates for out-of-network services. The ACR recommended that an independent dispute resolution provision (IDR) process be added to the legislation, a suggestion echoed by numerous other healthcare groups as well—and that’s exactly what has now happened.
Reps. Paul Ruiz of California and Larry Bucshon of Indiana added the amendment that addressed this issue. In a prepared statement, the ACR called this “a critical step toward establishing an equitable solution for this critical issue.”
“Above all, the ACR remains committed to protecting patients from surprise medical bills,” according to the statement. “As the issue of surprise billing advances through Congress, the College will continue to educate lawmakers regarding the pitfalls of inclusion of any policies that will result in federal government rate-setting in the private market, while simultaneously limiting a physician’s ability to seek an equitable payment adjustment via an IDR process.”
The College of American Pathologists also issued a statement applauding the inclusion of this process to the No Surprises Act.
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.