HHS Kicks Off New Year with New Protections from Surprise Medical Bills

Dear all,

January 1, 2022, new federal protections championed by the Biden-Harris Administration will shield millions of consumers from surprise medical bills—unexpected bills from an out-of-network provider, out-of-network facility or out-of-network air ambulance provider. The protections, implemented under the No Surprises Act, ban surprise billing in private insurance for most emergency care and many instances of non-emergency care. They also require that uninsured and self-pay patients receive key information, including overviews of anticipated costs and details about their rights.

In addition to shielding millions of consumers from surprise medical bills, these protections will further President Joe Biden’s work to promote competition in health care and other sectors of the American economy.

“The No Surprises Act is the most critical consumer protection law since the Affordable Care Act,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra. “After years of bipartisan effort, we are finally providing hardworking Americans with the federal guardrails needed to shield them from surprise medical bills. We are taking patients out of the middle of the food fight between insurers and providers and ensuring they aren’t met with eye-popping, bankruptcy-inducing medical bills. This is the right thing to do, and it supports President Biden’s vision of creating a more transparent, competitive and fair health care system.”

Both insured and uninsured/self-pay individuals who are concerned that their rights have been violated now have access to a host of tools, including a help desk (available at 800-985-3059, 8am-8pm ET seven days a week; TTY: 800-985-3059) and webpage (CMS.gov/nosurprises), where more details on registering potential violations can be found.

Both insured and uninsured/self-pay individuals who are concerned that their rights have been violated now have access to a host of tools, including a help desk (available at 800-985-3059, 8am-8pm ET seven days a week; TTY: 800-985-3059) and webpage (CMS.gov/nosurprises), where more details on registering potential violations can be found.

For more information, please see the following:

• HHS Press Release
• HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) Report
• Biden-Harris Administration Announces Steps to Protect Consumers and Improve Ground Ambulance Billing Practices Through No Surprises Act Implementation
• Biden-Harris Administration Improves Transparency and Oversight of Prescription Drug and Medical Costs
• Biden-Harris Administration Advances Key Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills, Giving Peace of Mind to Millions of Consumers Plagued by High Costs
• Biden-Harris Administration Issues Proposed Rules to Promote Transparency in Air Ambulance Costs, Agent and Broker Compensation
• HHS Announces Rule to Protect Consumers from Surprise Medical Bills

Lily Griego, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Human Services