26 USC 9816 - Preventing surprise medical bills

View all text of Subchapter B [§ 9811 - § 9825]

§ 9816. Preventing surprise medical bills

(a) Coverage of emergency services

(1) In generalIf a group health plan provides or covers any benefits with respect to services in an emergency department of a hospital or with respect to emergency services in an independent freestanding emergency department (as defined in paragraph (3)(D)), the plan shall cover emergency services (as defined in paragraph (3)(C))—

(A) without the need for any prior authorization determination;

(B) whether the health care provider furnishing such services is a participating provider or a participating emergency facility, as applicable, with respect to such services;

(C) in a manner so that, if such services are provided to a participant or beneficiary by a nonparticipating provider or a nonparticipating emergency facility—

(i) such services will be provided without imposing any requirement under the plan for prior authorization of services or any limitation on coverage that is more restrictive than the requirements or limitations that apply to emergency services received from participating providers and participating emergency facilities with respect to such plan;

(ii) the cost-sharing requirement is not greater than the requirement that would apply if such services were provided by a participating provider or a participating emergency facility;

(iii) such cost-sharing requirement is calculated as if the total amount that would have been charged for such services by such participating provider or participating emergency facility were equal to the recognized amount (as defined in paragraph (3)(H)) for such services, plan, and year;

(iv) the group health plan—(I) not later than 30 calendar days after the bill for such services is transmitted by such provider or facility, sends to the provider or facility, as applicable, an initial payment or notice of denial of payment; and(II) pays a total plan payment directly to such provider or facility, respectively (in accordance, if applicable, with the timing requirement described in subsection (c)(6)) that is, with application of any initial payment under subclause (I), equal to the amount by which the out-of-network rate (as defined in paragraph (3)(K)) for such services exceeds the cost-sharing amount for such services (as determined in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii)) and year; and

(iv) any cost-sharing payments made by the participant or beneficiary with respect to such emergency services so furnished shall be counted toward any in-network deductible or out-of-pocket maximums applied under the plan (and such in-network deductible and out-of-pocket maximums shall be applied) in the same manner as if such cost-sharing payments were made with respect to emergency services furnished by a participating provider or a participating emergency facility; and

(D) without regard to any other term or condition of such coverage (other than exclusion or coordination of benefits, or an affiliation or waiting period, permitted under section 2704 of the Public Health Service Act, including as incorporated pursuant to section 715 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and section 9815 of this Act, and other than applicable cost-sharing).

(2) Audit process and regulations for qualifying payment amounts

(A) Audit process

(i) In generalNot later than October 1, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor, shall establish through rulemaking a process, in accordance with clause (ii), under which group health plans are audited by the Secretary or applicable State authority to ensure that—(I) such plans are in compliance with the requirement of applying a qualifying payment amount under this section; and(II) such qualifying payment amount so applied satisfies the definition under paragraph (3)(E) with respect to the year involved, including with respect to a group health plan described in clause (ii) of such paragraph (3)(E).

(ii) Audit samplesUnder the process established pursuant to clause (i), the Secretary—(I) shall conduct audits described in such clause, with respect to a year (beginning with 2022), of a sample with respect to such year of claims data from not more than 25 group health plans; and(II) may audit any group health plan if the Secretary has received any complaint or other information about such plan or coverage, respectively, that involves the compliance of the plan with either of the requirements described in subclauses (I) and (II) of such clause.

(iii) Reports

(B) RulemakingNot later than July 1, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall establish through rulemaking—

(i) the methodology the group health plan shall use to determine the qualifying payment amount, differentiating by large group market and small group market;

(ii) the information such plan or issuer, respectively, shall share with the nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating facility, as applicable, when making such a determination;

(iii) the geographic regions applied for purposes of this subparagraph, taking into account access to items and services in rural and underserved areas, including health professional shortage areas, as defined in section 332 of the Public Health Service Act; and

(iv) a process to receive complaints of violations of the requirements described in subclauses (I) and (II) of subparagraph (A)(i) by group health plans.

Such rulemaking shall take into account payments that are made by such plan that are not on a fee-for-service basis. Such methodology may account for relevant payment adjustments that take into account quality or facility type (including higher acuity settings and the case-mix of various facility types) that are otherwise taken into account for purposes of determining payment amounts with respect to participating facilities. In carrying out clause (iii), the Secretary shall consult with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to establish the geographic regions under such clause and shall periodically update such regions, as appropriate, taking into account the findings of the report submitted under section 109(a) of the No Surprises Act.

(3) DefinitionsIn this subchapter:

(A) Emergency department of a hospital

(B) Emergency medical condition

(i) In generalThe term “emergency services”, with respect to an emergency medical condition, means—(I) a medical screening examination (as required under section 1867 of the Social Security Act, or as would be required under such section if such section applied to an independent freestanding emergency department) that is within the capability of the emergency department of a hospital or of an independent freestanding emergency department, as applicable, including ancillary services routinely available to the emergency department to evaluate such emergency medical condition; and(II) within the capabilities of the staff and facilities available at the hospital or the independent freestanding emergency department, as applicable, such further medical examination and treatment as are required under section 1867 of such Act, or as would be required under such section if such section applied to an independent freestanding emergency department, to stabilize the patient (regardless of the department of the hospital in which such further examination or treatment is furnished).

(ii) Inclusion of additional services(I) In generalFor purposes of this subsection and section 2799B–1 of the Public Health Service Act, in the case of a participant or beneficiary who is enrolled in a group health plan and who is furnished services described in clause (i) with respect to an emergency medical condition, the term “emergency services” shall include, unless each of the conditions described in subclause (II) are met, in addition to the items and services described in clause (i), items and services—(aa) for which benefits are provided or covered under the plan; and(bb) that are furnished by a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility (regardless of the department of the hospital in which such items or services are furnished) after the participant or beneficiary is stabilized and as part of outpatient observation or an inpatient or outpatient stay with respect to the visit in which the services described in clause (i) are furnished.(II) ConditionsFor purposes of subclause (I), the conditions described in this subclause, with respect to a participant or beneficiary who is stabilized and furnished additional items and services described in subclause (I) after such stabilization by a provider or facility described in subclause (I), are the following;(aa) Such provider or facility determines such individual is able to travel using nonmedical transportation or nonemergency medical transportation.(bb) Such provider furnishing such additional items and services satisfies the notice and consent criteria of section 2799B–2(d) 1

1 See References in Text note below.

with respect to such items and services.(cc) Such individual is in a condition to receive (as determined in accordance with guidelines issued by the Secretary pursuant to rulemaking) the information described in section 2799B–2 1 and to provide informed consent under such section, in accordance with applicable State law.(dd) Such other conditions, as specified by the Secretary, such as conditions relating to coordinating care transitions to participating providers and facilities.

(D) Independent freestanding emergency departmentThe term “independent freestanding emergency department” means a health care facility that—

(i) is geographically separate and distinct and licensed separately from a hospital under applicable State law; and

(ii) provides any of the emergency services (as defined in subparagraph (C)(i)).

(E) Qualifying payment amount

(i) In generalThe term “qualifying payment amount” means, subject to clauses (ii) and (iii), with respect to a sponsor of a group health plan—(I) for an item or service furnished during 2022, the median of the contracted rates recognized by the plan (determined with respect to all such plans of such sponsor that are offered within the same insurance market (specified in subclause (I), (II), or (III) of clause (iv)) as the plan) as the total maximum payment (including the cost-sharing amount imposed for such item or service and the amount to be paid by the plan) under such plans on January 31, 2019 for the same or a similar item or service that is provided by a provider in the same or similar specialty and provided in the geographic region in which the item or service is furnished, consistent with the methodology established by the Secretary under paragraph (2)(B), increased by the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) over 2019, such percentage increase over 2020, and such percentage increase over 2021; and(II) for an item or service furnished during 2023 or a subsequent year, the qualifying payment amount determined under this clause for such an item or service furnished in the previous year, increased by the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) over such previous year.

(ii) New plans and coverageThe term “qualifying payment amount” means, with respect to a sponsor of a group health plan in a geographic region in which such sponsor, respectively, did not offer any group health plan or health insurance coverage during 2019—(I) for the first year in which such group health plan is offered in such region, a rate (determined in accordance with a methodology established by the Secretary) for items and services that are covered by such plan and furnished during such first year; and(II) for each subsequent year such group health plan is offered in such region, the qualifying payment amount determined under this clause for such items and services furnished in the previous year, increased by the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) over such previous year.

(iii) Insufficient information; newly covered items and servicesIn the case of a sponsor of a group health plan that does not have sufficient information to calculate the median of the contracted rates described in clause (i)(I) in 2019 (or, in the case of a newly covered item or service (as defined in clause (v)(III)), in the first coverage year (as defined in clause (v)(I)) for such item or service with respect to such plan) for an item or service (including with respect to provider type, or amount, of claims for items or services (as determined by the Secretary) provided in a particular geographic region (other than in a case with respect to which clause (ii) applies)) the term “qualifying payment amount”—(I) for an item or service furnished during 2022 (or, in the case of a newly covered item or service, during the first coverage year for such item or service with respect to such plan), means such rate for such item or service determined by the sponsor through use of any database that is determined, in accordance with rulemaking described in paragraph (2)(B), to not have any conflicts of interest and to have sufficient information reflecting allowed amounts paid to a health care provider or facility for relevant services furnished in the applicable geographic region (such as a State all-payer claims database);(II) for an item or service furnished in a subsequent year (before the first sufficient information year (as defined in clause (v)(II)) for such item or service with respect to such plan), means the rate determined under subclause (I) or this subclause, as applicable, for such item or service for the year previous to such subsequent year, increased by the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (United States city average) over such previous year;(III) for an item or service furnished in the first sufficient information year for such item or service with respect to such plan, has the meaning given the term qualifying payment amount in clause (i)(I), except that in applying such clause to such item or service, the reference to “furnished during 2022” shall be treated as a reference to furnished during such first sufficient information year, the reference to “on January 31, 2019” shall be treated as a reference to in such sufficient information year, and the increase described in such clause shall not be applied; and(IV) for an item or service furnished in any year subsequent to the first sufficient information year for such item or service with respect to such plan, has the meaning given such term in clause (i)(II), except that in applying such clause to such item or service, the reference to “furnished during 2023 or a subsequent year” shall be treated as a reference to furnished during the year after such first sufficient information year or a subsequent year.

(iv) Insurance marketFor purposes of clause (i)(I), a health insurance market specified in this clause is one of the following:(I) The large group market (other than plans described in subclause (III)).(II) The small group market (other than plans described in subclause (III)).(III) In the case of a self-insured group health plan, other self-insured group health plans.

(v) DefinitionsFor purposes of this subparagraph:(I) First coverage year(II) First sufficient information yearThe term “first sufficient information year” means, with respect to a group health plan—(aa) in the case of an item or service for which the plan does not have sufficient information to calculate the median of the contracted rates described in clause (i)(I) in 2019, the first year subsequent to 2022 for which such sponsor has such sufficient information to calculate the median of such contracted rates in the year previous to such first subsequent year; and(bb) in the case of a newly covered item or service, the first year subsequent to the first coverage year for such item or service with respect to such plan for which the sponsor has sufficient information to calculate the median of the contracted rates described in clause (i)(I) in the year previous to such first subsequent year.(III) Newly covered item or service

(F) Nonparticipating emergency facility; participating emergency facility

(i) Nonparticipating emergency facility

(ii) Participating emergency facility

(G) Nonparticipating providers; participating providers

(i) Nonparticipating provider

(ii) Participating provider

(H) Recognized amountThe term “recognized amount” means, with respect to an item or service furnished by a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility during a year and a group health plan—

(i) subject to clause (iii), in the case of such item or service furnished in a State that has in effect a specified State law with respect to such plan; such a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility; and such an item or service, the amount determined in accordance with such law;

(ii) subject to clause (iii), in the case of such item or service furnished in a State that does not have in effect a specified State law, with respect to such plan; such a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility; and such an item or service, the amount that is the qualifying payment amount (as defined in subparagraph (E)) 2

2 Closing parentheses so in original.

for such year and determined in accordance with rulemaking described in paragraph (2)(B)) 2 for such item or service; or

(iii) in the case of such item or service furnished in a State with an All-Payer Model Agreement under section 1115A of the Social Security Act, the amount that the State approves under such system for such item or service so furnished.

(I) Specified State law

(J) Stabilize

(K) Out-of-network rateThe term “out-of-network rate” means, with respect to an item or service furnished in a State during a year to a participant or beneficiary of a group health plan receiving such item or service from a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility—

(ii) subject to clause (iii), in the case such State does not have in effect such a law with respect to such item or service, plan, and provider or facility—(I) subject to subclause (II), if the provider or facility (as applicable) and such plan or coverage agree on an amount of payment (including if such agreed on amount is the initial payment sent by the plan under subsection (a)(1)(C)(iv)(I), subsection (b)(1)(C), or section 9817(a)(3)(A), as applicable, or is agreed on through open negotiations under subsection (c)(1)) with respect to such item or service, such agreed on amount; or(II) if such provider or facility (as applicable) and such plan or coverage enter the independent dispute resolution process under subsection (c) and do not so agree before the date on which a certified IDR entity (as defined in paragraph (4) of such subsection) makes a determination with respect to such item or service under such subsection, the amount of such determination; or

(iii) in the case such State has an All-Payer Model Agreement under section 1115A of the Social Security Act, the amount that the State approves under such system for such item or service so furnished.

(L) Cost-sharing

(b) Coverage of non-emergency services performed by nonparticipating providers at certain participating facilities

(1) In generalIn the case of items or services (other than emergency services to which subsection (a) applies) for which any benefits are provided or covered by a group health plan furnished to a participant or beneficiary of such plan by a nonparticipating provider (as defined in subsection (a)(3)(G)(i)) (and who, with respect to such items and services, has not satisfied the notice and consent criteria of section 2799B–2(d) of the Public Health Service Act) with respect to a visit (as defined by the Secretary in accordance with paragraph (2)(B)) at a participating health care facility (as defined in paragraph (2)(A)), with respect to such plan, the plan—

(A) shall not impose on such participant or beneficiary a cost-sharing requirement for such items and services so furnished that is greater than the cost-sharing requirement that would apply under such plan had such items or services been furnished by a participating provider (as defined in subsection (a)(3)(G)(ii));

(B) shall calculate such cost-sharing requirement as if the total amount that would have been charged for such items and services by such participating provider were equal to the recognized amount (as defined in subsection (a)(3)(H)) for such items and services, plan, and year;

(C) not later than 30 calendar days after the bill for such items or services is transmitted by such provider, shall send to the provider an initial payment or notice of denial of payment;

(D) shall pay a total plan payment directly, in accordance, if applicable, with the timing requirement described in subsection (c)(6), to such provider furnishing such items and services to such participant or beneficiary that is, with application of any initial payment under subparagraph (C), equal to the amount by which the out-of-network rate (as defined in subsection (a)(3)(K)) for such items and services exceeds the cost-sharing amount imposed under the plan for such items and services (as determined in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B)) and year; and

(E) shall count toward any in-network deductible and in-network out-of-pocket maximums (as applicable) applied under the plan, any cost-sharing payments made by the participant or beneficiary (and such in-network deductible and out-of-pocket maximums shall be applied) with respect to such items and services so furnished in the same manner as if such cost-sharing payments were with respect to items and services furnished by a participating provider.

(2) DefinitionsIn this section:

(A) Participating health care facility

(i) In general

(ii) Health care facility describedA health care facility described in this clause, with respect to a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in the group or individual market, is each of the following:(I) A hospital (as defined in 1861(e) of the Social Security Act).(II) A hospital outpatient department.(III) A critical access hospital (as defined in section 1861(mm)(1) of such Act).(IV) An ambulatory surgical center described in section 1833(i)(1)(A) of such Act.(V) Any other facility, specified by the Secretary, that provides items or services for which coverage is provided under the plan or coverage, respectively.

(B) Visit

(1) Determination through open negotiation

(A) In general

(B) Accessing independent dispute resolution process in case of failed negotiations

(2) Independent dispute resolution process available in case of failed open negotiations

(A) Establishment

(B) Authority to continue negotiations

(3) Treatment of batching of items and services

(A) In generalUnder the IDR process, the Secretary shall specify criteria under which multiple qualified IDR dispute items and services are permitted to be considered jointly as part of a single determination by an entity for purposes of encouraging the efficiency (including minimizing costs) of the IDR process. Such items and services may be so considered only if—

(i) such items and services to be included in such determination are furnished by the same provider or facility;

(ii) payment for such items and services is required to be made by the same group health plan or health insurance issuer;

(iii) such items and services are related to the treatment of a similar condition; and

(iv) such items and services were furnished during the 30 day 4

4 So in original. Probably should be “30-day”.

period following the date on which the first item or service included with respect to such determination was furnished or an alternative period as determined by the Secretary, for use in limited situations, such as by the consent of the parties or in the case of low-volume items and services, to encourage procedural efficiency and minimize health plan and provider administrative costs.

(B) Treatment of bundled payments

(4) Certification and selection of IDR entities

(A) In generalThe Secretary, jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor, shall establish a process to certify (including to recertify) entities under this paragraph. Such process shall ensure that an entity so certified—

(i) has (directly or through contracts or other arrangements) sufficient medical, legal, and other expertise and sufficient staffing to make determinations described in paragraph (5) on a timely basis;

(ii) is not—(I) a group health plan, provider, or facility;(II) an affiliate or a subsidiary of such a group health plan, provider, or facility; or(III) an affiliate or subsidiary of a professional or trade association of such group health plans or of providers or facilities;

(iii) carries out the responsibilities of such an entity in accordance with this subsection;

(iv) meets appropriate indicators of fiscal integrity;

(v) maintains the confidentiality (in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary) of individually identifiable health information obtained in the course of conducting such determinations;

(vi) does not under the IDR process carry out any determination with respect to which the entity would not pursuant to subclause (I), (II), or (III) of subparagraph (F)(i) be eligible for selection; and

(vii) meets such other requirements as determined appropriate by the Secretary.

(B) Period of certification

(D) Petition for denial or withdrawal

(E) Sufficient number of entities

(F) Selection of certified IDR entityThe Secretary shall, with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under this subsection of an item or service, provide for a method—

(i) that allows for the group health plan and the nonparticipating provider or the nonparticipating emergency facility (as applicable) involved in a notification under paragraph (1)(B) to jointly select, not later than the last day of the 3-business day period following the date of the initiation of the process with respect to such item or service, for purposes of making such determination, an entity certified under this paragraph that—(I) is not a party to such determination or an employee or agent of such a party;(II) does not have a material familial, financial, or professional relationship with such a party; and(III) does not otherwise have a conflict of interest with such a party (as determined by the Secretary); and

(ii) that requires, in the case such parties do not make such selection by such last day, the Secretary to, not later than 6 business days after such date of initiation—(I) select such an entity that satisfies subclauses (I) through (III) of clause (i)); and(II) provide notification of such selection to the provider or facility (as applicable) and the plan or issuer (as applicable) party to such determination.

An entity selected pursuant to the previous sentence to make a determination described in such sentence shall be referred to in this subsection as the “certified IDR entity” with respect to such determination.

(5) Payment determination

(A) In generalNot later than 30 days after the date of selection of the certified IDR entity with respect to a determination for a qualified IDR item or service, the certified IDR entity shall—

(i) taking into account the considerations specified in subparagraph (C), select one of the offers submitted under subparagraph (B) to be the amount of payment for such item or service determined under this subsection for purposes of subsection (a)(1) or (b)(1), as applicable; and

(ii) notify the provider or facility and the group health plan party to such determination of the offer selected under clause (i).

(B) Submission of offersNot later than 10 days after the date of selection of the certifed IDR entity with respect to a determination for a qualified IDR item or service, the provider or facility and the group health plan party to such determination—

(i)(I) an offer for a payment amount for such item or service furnished by such provider or facility; and(II) such information as requested by the certified IDR entity relating to such offer; and

(ii) may each submit to the certified IDR entity with respect to such determination any information relating to such offer submitted by either party, including information relating to any circumstance described in subparagraph (C)(ii).

(i) In generalIn determining which offer is the payment to be applied pursuant to this paragraph, the certified IDR entity, with respect to the determination for a qualified IDR item or service shall consider—(I) the qualifying payment amounts (as defined in subsection (a)(3)(E)) for the applicable year for items or services that are comparable to the qualified IDR item or service and that are furnished in the same geographic region (as defined by the Secretary for purposes of such subsection) as such qualified IDR item or service; and(II) subject to subparagraph (D), information on any circumstance described in clause (ii), such information as requested in subparagraph (B)(i)(II), and any additional information provided in subparagraph (B)(ii).

(ii) Additional circumstancesFor purposes of clause (i)(II), the circumstances described in this clause are, with respect to a qualified IDR item or service of a nonparticipating provider, nonparticipating emergency facility, or group health plan, the following:(I) The level of training, experience, and quality and outcomes measurements of the provider or facility that furnished such item or service (such as those endorsed by the consensus-based entity authorized in section 1890 of the Social Security Act).(II) The market share held by the nonparticipating provider or facility or that of the plan or issuer in the geographic region in which the item or service was provided.(III) The acuity of the individual receiving such item or service or the complexity of furnishing such item or service to such individual.(IV) The teaching status, case mix, and scope of services of the nonparticipating facility that furnished such item or service.(V) Demonstrations of good faith efforts (or lack of good faith efforts) made by the nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating facility or the plan or issuer to enter into network agreements and, if applicable, contracted rates between the provider or facility, as applicable, and the plan or issuer, as applicable, during the previous 4 plan years.

(D) Prohibition on consideration of certain factors

(E) Effects of determination

(i) In generalA determination of a certified IDR entity under subparagraph (A)—(I) shall be binding upon the parties involved, in the absence of a fraudulent claim or evidence of misrepresentation of facts presented to the IDR entity involved regarding such claim; and(II) shall not be subject to judicial review, except in a case described in any of paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 10(a) of title 9, United States Code.

(ii) Suspension of certain subsequent IDR requests

(iii) Subsequent submission of requests permitted

(iv) Reports

(F) Costs of independent dispute resolution processIn the case of a notification under paragraph (1)(B) submitted by a nonparticipating provider, nonparticipating emergency facility, or group health plan and submitted to a certified IDR entity—

(i) if such entity makes a determination with respect to such notification under subparagraph (A), the party whose offer is not chosen under such subparagraph shall be responsible for paying all fees charged by such entity; and

(ii) if the parties reach a settlement with respect to such notification prior to such a determination, each party shall pay half of all fees charged by such entity, unless the parties otherwise agree.

(6) Timing of payment

(7) Publication of information relating to the IDR process

(A) Publication of informationFor each calendar quarter in 2022 and each calendar quarter in a subsequent year, the Secretary shall make available on the public website of the Department of the Treasury—

(i) the number of notifications submitted under paragraph (1)(B) during such calendar quarter;

(ii) the size of the provider practices and the size of the facilities submitting notifications under paragraph (1)(B) during such calendar quarter;

(iii) the number of such notifications with respect to which a determination was made under paragraph (5)(A);

(iv) the information described in subparagraph (B) with respect to each notification with respect to which such a determination was so made;

(v) the number of times the payment amount determined (or agreed to) under this subsection exceeds the qualifying payment amount, specified by items and services;

(vi) the amount of expenditures made by the Secretary during such calendar quarter to carry out the IDR process;

(vii) the total amount of fees paid under paragraph (8) during such calendar quarter; and

(viii) the total amount of compensation paid to certified IDR entities under paragraph (5)(F) during such calendar quarter.

(B) InformationFor purposes of subparagraph (A), the information described in this subparagraph is, with respect to a notification under paragraph (1)(B) by a nonparticipating provider, nonparticipating emergency facility, or group health plan—

(i) a description of each item and service included with respect to such notification;

(ii) the geography in which the items and services with respect to such notification were provided;

(iii) the amount of the offer submitted under paragraph (5)(B) by the group health plan and by the nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility (as applicable) expressed as a percentage of the qualifying payment amount;

(iv) whether the offer selected by the certified IDR entity under paragraph (5) to be the payment applied was the offer submitted by such plan or by such provider or facility (as applicable) and the amount of such offer so selected expressed as a percentage of the qualifying payment amount;

(v) the category and practice specialty of each such provider or facility involved in furnishing such items and services;

(vi) the identity of the group health plan, provider, or facility, with respect to the notification;

(vii) the length of time in making each determination;

(viii) the compensation paid to the certified IDR entity with respect to the settlement or determination; and

(ix) any other information specified by the Secretary.

(D) Clarification

(8) Administrative fee

(A) In general

(B) Amount of fee

(9) Waiver authority

(d) Certain access fees to certain databases

(e) Transparency regarding in-network and out-of-network deductibles and out-of-pocket limitationsA group health plan providing or covering any benefit with respect to items or services shall include, in clear writing, on any physical or electronic plan or insurance identification card issued to the participants or beneficiaries in the plan the following:

(1) Any deductible applicable to such plan.

(2) Any out-of-pocket maximum limitation applicable to such plan.

(3) A telephone number and Internet website address through which such individual may seek consumer assistance information, such as information related to hospitals and urgent care facilities that have in effect a contractual relationship with such plan for furnishing items and services under such plan.

(f) Advanced explanation of benefits

(1) In generalFor plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, each group health plan shall, with respect to a notification submitted under section 2799B–6 of the Public Health Service Act by a health care provider or health care facility to the plan for a participant or beneficiary under plan scheduled to receive an item or service from the provider or facility (or authorized representative of such participant or beneficiary), not later than 1 business day (or, in the case such item or service was so scheduled at least 10 business days before such item or service is to be furnished (or in the case of a request made to such plan or coverage by such participant or beneficiary), 3 business days) after the date on which the plan receives such notification (or such request), provide to the participant or beneficiary (through mail or electronic means, as requested by the participant or beneficiary) a notification (in clear and understandable language) including the following:

(A) Whether or not the provider or facility is a participating provider or a participating facility with respect to the plan with respect to the furnishing of such item or service and—

(i) in the case the provider or facility is a participating provider or facility with respect to the plan or coverage with respect to the furnishing of such item or service, the contracted rate under such plan for such item or service (based on the billing and diagnostic codes provided by such provider or facility); and

(ii) in the case the provider or facility is a nonparticipating provider or facility with respect to such plan, a description of how such individual may obtain information on providers and facilities that, with respect to such plan, are participating providers and facilities, if any.

(B) The good faith estimate included in the notification received from the provider or facility (if applicable) based on such codes.

(C) A good faith estimate of the amount the plan is responsible for paying for items and services included in the estimate described in subparagraph (B).

(D) A good faith estimate of the amount of any cost-sharing for which the participant or beneficiary would be responsible for such item or service (as of the date of such notification).

(E) A good faith estimate of the amount that the participant or beneficiary has incurred toward meeting the limit of the financial responsibility (including with respect to deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums) under the plan (as of the date of such notification).

(F) In the case such item or service is subject to a medical management technique (including concurrent review, prior authorization, and step-therapy or fail-first protocols) for coverage under the plan, a disclaimer that coverage for such item or service is subject to such medical management technique.

(G) A disclaimer that the information provided in the notification is only an estimate based on the items and services reasonably expected, at the time of scheduling (or requesting) the item or service, to be furnished and is subject to change.

(H) Any other information or disclaimer the plan determines appropriate that is consistent with information and disclaimers required under this section.

(2) Authority to modify timing requirements in the case of specified items and services

(A) In general

(B) Specified item or service defined

(Added and amended Pub. L. 116–260, div. BB, title I, §§ 102(c)(1), 103(c), 107(c), 111(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2784, 2815, 2859, 2863.)