No Surprises Act
Also called: NSA
In plain English
A federal law effective January 2022 that protects patients from surprise medical bills. It bans balance billing for emergency services, out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, and air ambulance services. It also requires providers to give good faith cost estimates to uninsured patients.
Real-world example
You go to an in-network ER and are treated by an out-of-network doctor. Before the No Surprises Act, that doctor could bill you their full charge minus what insurance paid. Now, you can only be charged your in-network cost-sharing amount.
Why this matters for your bill
This is one of the most important patient protections in recent years. If you receive a surprise bill from an out-of-network provider in an emergency or at an in-network facility, cite the No Surprises Act. You can file a complaint with CMS at 1-800-985-3059.
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