The Office of Personnel Management, the IRS, the Employee Benefits Security Administration, and HHS released an interim final rule on July 13, to establish new standards related to surprise medical billing. The interim final rule implements the No Surprises Act, and is effectiveJanuary 1, 2022.
The interim final rule implements provisions of the No Surprises Act that protect participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees in group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage from surprise medical bills when they receive emergency services, non-emergency services from nonparticipating providers of air ambulance services, under certain circumstances. HHS also issuedadditional interim final rules that apply to emergency departments of hospitals and independent freestanding emergency departments, health care providers and facilities, and providers of air ambulance services related to the protections against surprise billing.