The American College of Radiology (ACR) joined medical groups expressing strong opposition to legislation that would eliminate the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process established under the No Surprises Act.
Introduced by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Lower Premiums, Faster Payments Act would eliminate the IDR process and replace it with payment rates calculated by health insurance companies, ACR said in an October 9 statement.
“Independent arbiters routinely reject insurers' unreasonably low payment offers," said ACR Chief Executive Officer Dana Smetherman, MD. "Eliminating arbitration would remove an important check on insurer conduct and threaten the ability of community-based and hospital-based physician practices to negotiate reasonable payment arrangements.”
The ACR joined the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) in opposition to the bill. The groups also called the legislation premature, citing recent IDR reforms already under discussion and an August court ruling on payment calculations that have yet to be fully implemented.
