§300gg–111. Preventing surprise medical bills — Inbound Citations

(c) For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2022, each group health plan and health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall make publicly available, post on a public website of such plan or issuer, and include on each explanation of benefits for an item or service with respect to which the requirements under section 300gg–111 of this title applies—

(1) information in plain language on—

(A) the requirements and prohibitions applied under sections 300gg–131 and 300gg–132 of this title (relating to prohibitions on balance billing in certain circumstances);

(B) if provided for under applicable State law, any other requirements on providers and facilities regarding the amounts such providers and facilities may, with respect to an item or service, charge a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee of such plan or coverage with respect to which such a provider or facility does not have a contractual relationship for furnishing such item or service under the plan or coverage after receiving payment from the plan or coverage for such item or service and any applicable cost sharing payment from such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee; and

(C) the requirements applied under section 300gg–111 of this title; and

(2) information on contacting appropriate State and Federal agencies in the case that an individual believes that such a provider or facility has violated any requirement described in paragraph (1) with respect to such individual.

(C) the requirements applied under section 300gg–111 of this title; and

(1) The terms “nonparticipating provider” and “participating provider” have the meanings given such terms, respectively, in subsection (a)(3) of section 300gg–111 of this title.

(2) The term “participating health care facility” has the meaning given such term in subsection (b)(2) of section 300gg–111 of this title.

(5) Sections 300gg–111, 300gg–112, and 300gg–117 of this title shall apply to grandfathered health plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2022.

(1) in the case that the hospital or independent freestanding emergency department is a nonparticipating emergency facility, the emergency department of a hospital or independent freestanding emergency department shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for such emergency services so furnished that is more than the cost-sharing requirement for such services (as determined in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 300gg–111(a)(1)(C) of this title, of section 9816(a)(1)(C) of title 26, and of section 1185e(a)(1)(C) of title 29, as applicable); and

(2) in the case that such services are furnished by a nonparticipating provider, the health care provider shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for an emergency service furnished to such individual by such provider with respect to such emergency medical condition and visit for which the individual receives emergency services at the hospital or emergency department that is more than the cost-sharing requirement for such services furnished by the provider (as determined in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 300gg–111(a)(1)(C) of this title, of section 9816(a)(1)(C) of title 26, and of section 1185e(a)(1)(C) of title 29, as applicable).

(2) The term “qualifying payment amount” has the meaning given such term in section 300gg–111(a)(3) of this title.

(3) The term “nonparticipating provider” has the meaning given such term in section 300gg–111(a)(3) of this title.

(A) with respect to emergency services (as defined in clause (i) of section 300gg–111(a)(3)(C) of this title) that are not described in clause (ii) of such section and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, an emergency department of a hospital, or an independent freestanding emergency department, that has a direct or indirect contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such services under the plan or coverage, respectively; and

(B) with respect to services that pursuant to clause (ii) of section 300gg–111(a)(3)(C) of this title, of section 9816(a)(3) of title 26, and of section 1185e(a)(3) of title 29, as applicable are included as emergency services (as defined in clause (i) of such section and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department, that has a contractual relationship with the plan or coverage, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such services under the plan or coverage, respectively.

(A) with respect to emergency services (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(C)(i) of this title) and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, an emergency department of a hospital, or an independent freestanding emergency department, that does not have a contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such services under the plan or coverage, respectively; and

(B) with respect to services described in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(C)(ii) of this title and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department, that does not have a contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such services under the plan or coverage, respectively.

(A) with respect to emergency services (as defined in clause (i) of section 300gg–111(a)(3)(C) of this title) that are not described in clause (ii) of such section and a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, an emergency department of a hospital, or an independent freestanding emergency department, that has a direct or indirect contractual relationship with the plan or issuer, respectively, with respect to the furnishing of such services under the plan or coverage, respectively; and

(I) the qualifying payment amounts (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(E) of this title) for the applicable year for items or services that are comparable to the qualified IDR air ambulance service and that are furnished in the same geographic region (as defined by the Secretary for purposes of such subsection) as such qualified IDR air ambulance service; and

(a) In the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee who is in a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and who receives air ambulance services from a nonparticipating provider (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(G) of this title) with respect to such plan or coverage, if such services would be covered if provided by a participating provider (as defined in such section) with respect to such plan or coverage—

(1) the cost-sharing requirement with respect to such services shall be the same requirement that would apply if such services were provided by such a participating provider, and any coinsurance or deductible shall be based on rates that would apply for such services if they were furnished by such a participating provider;

(2) such cost-sharing amounts shall be counted towards the in-network deductible and in-network out-of-pocket maximum amount under the plan or coverage for the plan year (and such in-network deductible shall be applied) with respect to such items and services so furnished in the same manner as if such cost-sharing payments were with respect to items and services furnished by a participating provider; and

(3) the group health plan or health insurance issuer, respectively, shall—

(A) not later than 30 calendar days after the bill for such services is transmitted by such provider, send to the provider, an initial payment or notice of denial of payment; and

(B) pay a total plan or coverage payment, in accordance with, if applicable, subsection (b)(6), directly to such provider furnishing such services to such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee that is, with application of any initial payment under subparagraph (A), equal to the amount by which the out-of-network rate (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(K) of this title) for such services and year involved exceeds the cost-sharing amount imposed under the plan or coverage, respectively, for such services (as determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2)).

In the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee with benefits under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and who is furnished in a plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, air ambulance services (for which benefits are available under such plan or coverage) from a nonparticipating provider (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(G) of this title) with respect to such plan or coverage, such provider shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for such service furnished by such provider that is more than the cost-sharing amount for such service (as determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 300gg–112(a) of this title, section 1185f(a) of title 29, or section 9817(a) of title 26, as applicable).

(B) pay a total plan or coverage payment, in accordance with, if applicable, subsection (b)(6), directly to such provider furnishing such services to such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee that is, with application of any initial payment under subparagraph (A), equal to the amount by which the out-of-network rate (as defined in section 300gg–111(a)(3)(K) of this title) for such services and year involved exceeds the cost-sharing amount imposed under the plan or coverage, respectively, for such services (as determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and (2)).

(B) Under the independent dispute resolution process, in the case that the parties to a determination for qualified IDR air ambulance services agree on a payment amount for such services during such process but before the date on which the entity selected with respect to such determination under paragraph (4) makes such determination under paragraph (5), such amount shall be treated for purposes of section 300gg–111(a)(3)(K)(ii) of this title as the amount agreed to by such parties for such services. In the case of an agreement described in the previous sentence, the independent dispute resolution process shall provide for a method to determine how to allocate between the parties to such determination the payment of the compensation of the entity selected with respect to such determination.

(b) In this section, the term “visit” shall have such meaning as applied to such term for purposes of section 300gg–111(b) of this title.

(a) Subject to subsection (b), in the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee with benefits under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and who is furnished during a plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, items or services (other than emergency services to which section 300gg–131 of this title applies) for which benefits are provided under the plan or coverage at a participating health care facility by a nonparticipating provider, such provider shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for such an item or service furnished by such provider with respect to a visit at such facility that is more than the cost-sharing requirement for such item or service (as determined in accordance with subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 300gg–111(b)(1) of this title¹ of section 9816(b)(1) of title 26, and of section 1185e(b)(1) of title 29, as applicable).

(3) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(3) of this title shall apply with respect to a notification submitted under this subsection with respect to air ambulance services in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions apply with respect to a notification submitted under section 300gg–111(c) of this title with respect to items and services described in such section.

(B) The provisions of subparagraph (F) of section 300gg–111(c)(4) of this title shall apply with respect to selecting an IDR entity certified pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under this subsection of air ambulance services in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to selecting an IDR entity certified under such section with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under section 300gg–111(c) of this title of an item or service. An entity selected pursuant to the previous sentence to make a determination described in such sentence shall be referred to in this subsection as the “certified IDR entity” with respect to such determination.

(E) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(5)(F) of this title shall apply to a notification made under this subsection, the parties to such notification, and a determination under subparagraph (A) in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions apply to a notification under section 300gg–111(c) of this title, the parties to such notification and a determination made under section 300gg–111(c)(5)(A) of this title.

(d) The Secretary shall establish or recognize a process to certify entities under this subparagraph.¹ Such process shall ensure that an entity so certified satisfies at least the criteria specified in section 300gg–111(c) of this title.

(3) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(3) of this title shall apply with respect to a notification submitted under this subsection with respect to air ambulance services in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions apply with respect to a notification submitted under section 300gg–111(c) of this title with respect to items and services described in such section.

(A) An IDR entity certified under this subsection is an IDR entity certified under section 300gg–111(c)(4) of this title.

(B) The provisions of subparagraph (F) of section 300gg–111(c)(4) of this title shall apply with respect to selecting an IDR entity certified pursuant to subparagraph (A) with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under this subsection of air ambulance services in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to selecting an IDR entity certified under such section with respect to the determination of the amount of payment under section 300gg–111(c) of this title of an item or service. An entity selected pursuant to the previous sentence to make a determination described in such sentence shall be referred to in this subsection as the “certified IDR entity” with respect to such determination.

(E) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(5)(F) of this title shall apply to a notification made under this subsection, the parties to such notification, and a determination under subparagraph (A) in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions apply to a notification under section 300gg–111(c) of this title, the parties to such notification and a determination made under section 300gg–111(c)(5)(A) of this title.

(D) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(5)(E) of this title shall apply with respect to a determination of a certified IDR entity under subparagraph (A), the notification submitted with respect to such determination, the services with respect to such notification, and the parties to such notification in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to a determination of a certified IDR entity under section 300gg–111(c)(5)(E) of this title, the notification submitted with respect to such determination, the items and services with respect to such notification, and the parties to such notification.

(E) The provisions of section 300gg–111(c)(5)(F) of this title shall apply to a notification made under this subsection, the parties to such notification, and a determination under subparagraph (A) in the same manner and to the same extent such provisions apply to a notification under section 300gg–111(c) of this title, the parties to such notification and a determination made under section 300gg–111(c)(5)(A) of this title.