When Was the Federal No Surprises Act Introduced to Congress

The Federal No Surprises Act was introduced to Congress as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

This legislation was signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 27, 2020.

The No Surprises Act was included as part of a larger spending bill to prevent surprise medical bills and protect patients from unexpected costs.

It's worth noting that the law took effect on January 1, 2022, giving healthcare providers and patients time to adjust to the new regulations.

The Federal Legislation surrounding the No Surprises Act is a crucial aspect of its introduction to Congress.

The No Surprises Act was first introduced to Congress in the 116th Congress, specifically in the House of Representatives on October 2, 2019.

The bill was initially referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

The No Surprises Act was also introduced in the Senate on October 31, 2019, by Senator Patty Murray.

Senator Murray's bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

After months of deliberation and amendments, the No Surprises Act was signed into law on December 27, 2020.

The No Surprises Act (NSA) introduced patient protections to safeguard individuals from unexpected medical bills. These protections are designed to shield patients from surprise medical expenses.

Emergency services are covered under the NSA, including post-stabilization services provided after an emergency medical service. This means patients won't be left with a hefty bill for emergency care.

Non-emergency care services provided by out-of-network providers at in-network facilities are also protected under the NSA. This protection applies to situations where a patient receives care from a specialist or surgeon who isn't part of their insurance network, but the facility itself is in-network.

The NSA includes two key patient protections: balance billing protection and cost-sharing protection. Balance billing protection ensures that providers can't charge patients more than their insurance plan allows for out-of-network services, unless there's notice and consent from the patient. Cost-sharing protection prevents patients from being charged more out-of-pocket for out-of-network services than they would have paid for in-network services.

Here are the specific patient protections under the NSA: