The American College of Radiology (ACR) and two other medical associations are continuing to pursue a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking implementation of elements in the U.S. government's interim file rule (IFR) for the No Surprises Act.
The ACR, American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), and the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) had filed a lawsuit earlier this year seeking to invalidate insurer use of the rule's independent dispute resolution process to narrow medical networks. However, that filing had been stayed following a February decision by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to toss out the portions of the IFR covering arbitration between insurers and providers.
The federal government, however, has since appealed the Texas court ruling. In a statement, the organizations said they therefore now "stand ready to pursue their case to halt the government's unlawful rule" and that they will work with legal partners and patient advocates to ensure that the IFR "ultimately complies with the text and spirit of the No Surprises Act as passed by Congress."
