Fifth Circuit Grapples With Limits of Surprise Medical Bill Law

Lawyers for air ambulance providers and health insurers were questioned by the Fifth Circuit over whether a law protecting patients from unexpected out-of-network bills grants the courts final say in how related disputes are settled between medical providers and insurance companies.

A trio of air ambulance providers sued Aetna Health Inc., Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc., and arbitrator Medical Evaluators of Texas under the No Surprises Act, seeking to overturn arbitration awards they argue the insurers won by misrepresenting a key payment metric.

Their consolidated case asks the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to answer ...