Health Billing Disputes Pile Up; Arbitration Guidance Urged

A trio of federal agencies is being urged to issue guidance and jump-start the stalled arbitration process for resolving billing disputes between health-care providers and insurers as tens of thousands of cases continue to pile up in the wake of a federal court decision.

The decision voided the agencies’ standards for deciding such cases, and now arbitrators are often not following the No Surprises Act, according to individuals supporting providers as well as those backing the employers and health insurers that pay the bills.

How payment disputes are settled could ultimately affect health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs. ...