No Surprises Act
The No Surprises Act seeks to protect consumers from surprise medical bills arising out of certain out-of-network emergency care.
What is the No Surprises Act?
The No Surprises Act was passed by Congress in 2020 to help alleviate the problem of patients receiving an unexpected bill in an emergent situation or when they are out-of-network. On January 1, 2022, new provisions of the Act go into effect.
What is Surprise Billing?
When a person with a group health plan or health insurance coverage gets care from an out-of-network provider, their health plan or issuer usually does not cover the entire out-of-network cost, leaving them with higher costs than if they had been seen by an in-network provider. In many cases, the out-of-network provider can bill the person for the difference between the billed charge and the amount paid by their plan or insurance, unless prohibited by state law. This is known as "balance billing." An unexpected balance bill is called a surprise bill.
How does that impact me?
The new provisions of the No Surprises Act forbid balance billing in certain situations involving out-of-network care or emergency care and require that self-pay patients receive an estimate for certain scheduled services at or near the time of scheduling.
For additional information regarding the No Surprises Act or for general billing questions, contact the Sabetha Community Hospital Business Office at (785) 284-2121 or the Sabetha Family Practice at (785) 284-2141.
