In the U.S, the No Surprises Act provides patients with protection from surprise medical bills under certain circumstances.
It also mandates transparency regarding healthcare costs and holds patients liable for in-network cost-sharing amounts only.
The U.S legislation allows healthcare providers and insurers to negotiate reimbursement separately while insulating the patient from that process.
It also includes a provision for an independent dispute resolution process if necessary. The Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor are tasked with issuing regulations and guidance to implement the No Surprises Act, most of which is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2022