If a group health plan, or a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage, 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 or issuer shall cover emergency services (as defined in paragraph (3)(C))-
Not later than October 1, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall establish through rulemaking a process, in accordance with clause (ii), under which group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage are audited by the Secretary or applicable State authority to ensure that-
Under the process established pursuant to clause (i), the Secretary-
Beginning for 2022, the Secretary shall annually submit to Congress a report on the number of plans and issuers with respect to which audits were conducted during such year pursuant to this subparagraph.
Not later than July 1, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall establish through rulemaking-
Such rulemaking shall take into account payments that are made by such plan or issuer, respectively, 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.
In this part and part E:
The term "emergency department of a hospital" includes a hospital outpatient department that provides emergency services (as defined in subparagraph (C)(i)).
The term "emergency medical condition" means a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that a prudent layperson, who possesses an average knowledge of health and medicine, could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in a condition described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii) of section 1867(e)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395dd(e)(1)(A)] .
The term "emergency services", with respect to an emergency medical condition, means-
For purposes of this subsection and section 300gg-131 of this title, in the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee who is enrolled in a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer 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-
For purposes of subclause (I), the conditions described in this subclause, with respect to a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee 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;
The term "independent freestanding emergency department" means a health care facility that-
The term "qualifying payment amount" means, subject to clauses (ii) and (iii), with respect to a sponsor of a group health plan and health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage-
The term "qualifying payment amount" means, with respect to a sponsor of a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage in a geographic region in which such sponsor or issuer, respectively, did not offer any group health plan or health insurance coverage during 2019-
In the case of a sponsor of a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage 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 or coverage) 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"-
For purposes of clause (i)(I), a health insurance market specified in this clause is one of the following:
For purposes of this subparagraph:
The term "first coverage year" means, with respect to a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and an item or service for which coverage is not offered in 2019 under such plan or coverage, the first year after 2019 for which coverage for such item or service is offered under such plan or health insurance coverage.
The term "first sufficient information year" means, with respect to a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer-
The term "newly covered item or service" means, with respect to a group health plan or group or individual health insurance issuer offering health insurance coverage, an item or service for which coverage was not offered in 2019 under such plan or coverage, but is offered under such plan or coverage in a year after 2019.
The term "nonparticipating emergency facility" means, with respect to an item or service and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, an emergency department of a hospital, or an independent freestanding emergency department, that does not have a contractual relationship directly or indirectly with the plan or issuer, respectively, for furnishing such item or service under the plan or coverage, respectively.
The term "participating emergency facility" means, with respect to an item or service and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, an emergency department of a hospital, or an independent freestanding emergency department, that has a contractual relationship directly or indirectly with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such an item or service at such facility.
The term "nonparticipating provider" means, with respect to an item or service and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a physician or other health care provider who is acting within the scope of practice of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law and who does not have a contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, for furnishing such item or service under the plan or coverage, respectively.
The term "participating provider" means, with respect to an item or service and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a physician or other health care provider who is acting within the scope of practice of that provider's license or certification under applicable State law and who has a contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, for furnishing such item or service under the plan or coverage, respectively.
The 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 or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer-
The term "specified State law" means, with respect to a State, an item or service furnished by a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility during a year and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a State law that provides for a method for determining the total amount payable under such a plan, coverage, or issuer, respectively (to the extent such State law applies to such plan, coverage, or issuer, subject to section 1144 of title 29) in the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee covered under such plan or coverage and receiving such item or service from such a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility.
The term "to stabilize", with respect to an emergency medical condition (as defined in subparagraph (B)), has the meaning give3 in section 1867(e)(3) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395dd(e)(3)).
The term "out-of-network rate" means, with respect to an item or service furnished in a State during a year to a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer receiving such item or service from a nonparticipating provider or nonparticipating emergency facility-
The term "cost-sharing" includes copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles.
In 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 or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage furnished to a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee of such plan or coverage 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 300gg-132(d) of this title) 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 or coverage, respectively, the plan or coverage, respectively-
In this section:
The term "participating health care facility" means, with respect to an item or service and a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage, a health care facility described in clause (ii) that has a direct or indirect contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such an item or service at the facility.
A health care facility described in this clause, with respect to a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage, is each of the following:
The term "visit" shall, with respect to items and services furnished to an individual at a health care facility, include equipment and devices, telemedicine services, imaging services, laboratory services, preoperative and postoperative services, and such other items and services as the Secretary may specify, regardless of whether or not the provider furnishing such items or services is at the facility.
With respect to an item or service furnished in a year by a nonparticipating provider or a nonparticipating facility, with respect to a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage, in a State described in subsection (a)(3)(K)(ii) with respect to such plan or coverage and provider or facility, and for which a payment is required to be made by the plan or coverage pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b)(1), the provider or facility (as applicable) or plan or coverage may, during the 30-day period beginning on the day the provider or facility receives an initial payment or a notice of denial of payment from the plan or coverage regarding a claim for payment for such item or service, initiate open negotiations under this paragraph between such provider or facility and plan or coverage for purposes of determining, during the open negotiation period, an amount agreed on by such provider or facility, respectively, and such plan or coverage for payment (including any cost-sharing) for such item or service. For purposes of this subsection, the open negotiation period, with respect to an item or service, is the 30-day period beginning on the date of initiation of the negotiations with respect to such item or service.
In the case of open negotiations pursuant to subparagraph (A), with respect to an item or service, that do not result in a determination of an amount of payment for such item or service by the last day of the open negotiation period described in such subparagraph with respect to such item or service, the provider or facility (as applicable) or group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage that was party to such negotiations may, during the 4-day period beginning on the day after such open negotiation period, initiate the independent dispute resolution process under paragraph (2) with respect to such item or service. The independent dispute resolution process shall be initiated by a party pursuant to the previous sentence by submission to the other party and to the Secretary of a notification (containing such information as specified by the Secretary) and for purposes of this subsection, the date of initiation of such process shall be the date of such submission or such other date specified by the Secretary pursuant to regulations that is not later than the date of receipt of such notification by both the other party and the Secretary.
Not later than 1 year after December 27, 2020, the Secretary, jointly with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall establish by regulation one independent dispute resolution process (referred to in this subsection as the "IDR process") under which, in the case of an item or service with respect to which a provider or facility (as applicable) or group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage submits a notification under paragraph (1)(B) (in this subsection referred to as a "qualified IDR item or service"), a certified IDR entity under paragraph (4) determines, subject to subparagraph (B) and in accordance with the succeeding provisions of this subsection, the amount of payment under the plan or coverage for such item or service furnished by such provider or facility.
Under the independent dispute resolution process, in the case that the parties to a determination for a qualified IDR item or service agree on a payment amount for such item or service during such process but before the date on which the entity selected with respect to such determination under paragraph (4) makes such determination under paragraph (5), such amount shall be treated for purposes of subsection (a)(3)(K)(ii) as the amount agreed to by such parties for such item or service. In the case of an agreement described in the previous sentence, the independent dispute resolution process shall provide for a method to determine how to allocate between the parties to such determination the payment of the compensation of the entity selected with respect to such determination.
A nonparticipating provider may not, with respect to an item or service furnished by such provider, submit a notification under paragraph (1)(B) if such provider is exempt from the requirement under subsection (a) of section 300gg-132 of this title with respect to such item or service pursuant to subsection (b) of such section.
Under 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-
In carrying out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall provide that, in the case of items and services which are included by a provider or facility as part of a bundled payment, such items and services included in such bundled payment may be part of a single determination under this subsection.
The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor and Secretary of the Treasury, shall establish a process to certify (including to recertify) entities under this paragraph. Such process shall ensure that an entity so certified-
Subject to subparagraph (C), each certification (including a recertification) of an entity under the process described in subparagraph (A) shall be for a 5-year period.
A certification of an entity under this paragraph may be revoked under the process described in subparagraph (A) if the entity has a pattern or practice of noncompliance with any of the requirements described in such subparagraph.
The process described in subparagraph (A) shall ensure that an individual, provider, facility, or group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage may petition for a denial of a certification or a revocation of a certification with respect to an entity under this paragraph for failure of meeting a requirement of this subsection.
The process described in subparagraph (A) shall ensure that a sufficient number of entities are certified under this paragraph to ensure the timely and efficient provision of determinations described in paragraph (5).
The Secretary shall, with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under this subsection of an item or service, provide for a method-
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.
Not 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-
Not later than 10 days after the date of selection of the certified IDR entity with respect to a determination for a qualified IDR item or service, the provider or facility and the group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage party to such determination-
In 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-
For 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, group health plan, or health insurance issuer of group or individual health insurance coverage the following:
In determining which offer is the payment to be applied with respect to qualified IDR items and services furnished by a provider or facility, the certified IDR entity with respect to a determination shall not consider usual and customary charges, the amount that would have been billed by such provider or facility with respect to such items and services had the provisions of section 300gg-131 or 300gg-132 of this title (as applicable) not applied, or the payment or reimbursement rate for such items and services furnished by such provider or facility payable by a public payor, including under the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], under the Medicaid program under title XIX of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.], under the Children's Health Insurance Program under title XXI of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.], under the TRICARE program under chapter 55 of title 10, or under chapter 17 of title 38.
A determination of a certified IDR entity under subparagraph (A)-
In the case of a determination of a certified IDR entity under subparagraph (A), with respect to an initial notification submitted under paragraph (1)(B) with respect to qualified IDR items and services and the two parties involved with such notification, the party that submitted such notification may not submit during the 90-day period following such determination a subsequent notification under such paragraph involving the same other party to such notification with respect to such an item or service that was the subject of such initial notification.
In the case of a notification that pursuant to clause (ii) is not permitted to be submitted under paragraph (1)(B) during a 90-day period specified in such clause, if the end of the open negotiation period specified in paragraph (1)(A), that but for this clause would otherwise apply with respect to such notification, occurs during such 90-day period, such paragraph (1)(B) shall be applied as if the reference in such paragraph to the 4-day period beginning on the day after such open negotiation period were instead a reference to the 30-day period beginning on the day after the last day of such 90-day period.
The Secretary, jointly with the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Treasury, shall examine the impact of the application of clause (ii) and whether the application of such clause delays payment determinations or impacts early, alternative resolution of claims (such as through open negotiations), and shall submit to Congress, not later than 2 years after the date of implementation of such clause an interim report (and not later than 4 years after such date of implementation, a final report) on whether any group health plans or health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage or types of such plans or coverage have a pattern or practice of routine denial, low payment, or down-coding of claims, or otherwise abuse the 90-day period described in such clause, including recommendations on ways to discourage such a pattern or practice.
In the case of a notification under paragraph (1)(B) submitted by a nonparticipating provider, nonparticipating emergency facility, group health plan, or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage and submitted to a certified IDR entity-
The total plan or coverage payment required pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (b)(1), with respect to a qualified IDR item or service for which a determination is made under paragraph (5)(A) or with respect to an item or service for which a payment amount is determined under open negotiations under paragraph (1), shall be made directly to the nonparticipating provider or facility not later than 30 days after the date on which such determination is made.
For 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 Health and Human Services-
For 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, group health plan, or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage-
For 2022 and each subsequent year, an IDR entity, as a condition of certification as an IDR entity, shall submit to the Secretary such information as the Secretary determines necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection.
The Secretary shall ensure the public reporting under this paragraph does not contain information that would disclose privileged or confidential information of a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage or of a provider or facility.
Each party to a determination under paragraph (5) to which an entity is selected under paragraph (3)5 in a year shall pay to the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as specified by the Secretary, a fee for participating in the IDR process with respect to such determination in an amount described in subparagraph (B) for such year.
The amount described in this subparagraph for a year is an amount established by the Secretary in a manner such that the total amount of fees paid under this paragraph for such year is estimated to be equal to the amount of expenditures estimated to be made by the Secretary for such year in carrying out the IDR process.
The Secretary may modify any deadline or other timing requirement specified under this subsection (other than the establishment date for the IDR process under paragraph (2)(A) and other than under paragraph (6)) in cases of extenuating circumstances, as specified by the Secretary, or to ensure that all claims that occur during a 90-day period described in paragraph (5)(E)(ii), but with respect to which a notification is not permitted by reason of such paragraph to be submitted under paragraph (1)(B) during such period, are eligible for the IDR process.
In the case of a sponsor of a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage that, pursuant to subsection (a)(3)(E)(iii), uses a database described in such subsection to determine a rate to apply under such subsection for an item or service by reason of having insufficient information described in such subsection with respect to such item or service, such sponsor or issuer shall cover the cost for access to such database.
A group health plan or a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage and 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, beneficiaries, or enrollees in the plan or coverage the following:
For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, each group health plan, or a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall, with respect to a notification submitted under section 300gg-136 of this title by a health care provider or health care facility to the plan or issuer for a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee under plan or coverage scheduled to receive an item or service from the provider or facility (or authorized representative of such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee), 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, beneficiary, or enrollee), 3 business days) after the date on which the plan or coverage receives such notification (or such request), provide to the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee (through mail or electronic means, as requested by the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee) a notification (in clear and understandable language) including the following:
In the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee scheduled to receive an item or service that is a specified item or service (as defined in subparagraph (B)), the Secretary may modify any timing requirements relating to the provision of the notification described in paragraph (1) to such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee with respect to such item or service. Any modification made by the Secretary pursuant to the previous sentence may not result in the provision of such notification after such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee has been furnished such item or service.
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term "specified item or service" means an item or service that has low utilization or significant variation in costs (such as when furnished as part of a complex treatment), as specified by the Secretary.
1See References in Text note below.
2Closing parentheses so in original.
3So in original. Probably should be "given".
4So in original. Probably should be "30-day".
5So in original. Probably should be "paragraph (4)".
6So in original. Probably should be followed by a period.
42 U.S.C. § 300gg-111
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTSection 109(a) of the No Surprises Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(B), is section 109(a) of Pub. L. 116-260 div. BB, title I, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2859, which is not classified to the Code.The phrase "in 2019", referred to in subsec. (a)(3)(E)(iii)(III), does not appear in cl. (i)(I) of subsec. (a)(3)(E). However, subsec. (a)(3)(E)(iii)(III) of section 9816 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code, which contains text similar to that in this subclause, refers to the phrase "on January 31, 2019", which does appear in cl. (i)(I).The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (c)(5)(D), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620. Titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Act are classified generally to subchapters XVIII (§1395 et seq.), XIX (§1396 et seq.), and XXI (§1397aa et seq.), respectively, of chapter 7 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of this title and Tables.
AMENDMENTS2020-Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 116-260, §103(a), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116-260, §107(a), added subsec. (e). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116-260, §111(a), added subsec. (f).
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2020 AMENDMENT Amendment by section 107(a) of div. BB of Pub. L. 116-260 applicable with respect to plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2022, see section 107(d) of div. BB of Pub. L. 116-260 set out as a note under section 9816 of Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.
EFFECTIVE DATESection applicable with respect to plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2022, see section 102(e) of div. BB of Pub. L. 116-260 set out as an Effective Date of 2020 Amendment note under section 8902 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
- Secretary
- The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.1See References in Text note below.
- Service
- The term "Service" means the Public Health Service;
- practices
- The term "practices" means design, financing, permitting, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance, and other practices that contribute to achieving zero-net-energy buildings or facilities.