Policy Briefs
October 29, 2021
Surprise Billing Part II: Bipartisan “Dear Colleague” Letter
In response to Part II of the Surprise Billing interim final rule, Representatives Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) are circulating a “dear colleague” letter, asking that the Biden Administration review the rule’s Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process. The lawmakers are concerned that, as is, the IDR process outlined does not fully reflect Congressional intent. Instead, the letter states that the new provisions essentially establish a de-facto benchmark rate that incentivizes insurance companies to set artificially low payment rates.