The No Surprises Act could be a shock to the U.S. health care system
If physicians' fees rise and insurers face mounting arbitration costs, consumers will ultimately be on the hook.
The No Surprises Act, which came into effect in 2022, marked a significant bipartisan achievement in American healthcare policy. The primary objective of this legislation was to eliminate a previously prevalent issue where insured patients encountered financial hardships due to out-of-network healthcare providers. Picture a scenario where an individual suffers a broken ankle and requires emergency surgery; without the No Surprises Act, such a patient would often receive a staggering $12,000 bill from providers who were not within their insurance network.
This predicament was not uncommon, even for those with comprehensive insurance coverage. The law effectively removed this concern from patients by mandating insurers and out-of-network doctors to agree on a reasonable fee. This protection has shielded millions of Americans from unexpected medical expenses, rendering it a crucial safeguard in the U.S. healthcare system.
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Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
