No Surprises Act Under Fire Over Arbitration Woes

The No Surprises Act has protected patients from surprise bills, but arbitration payouts have ballooned—2.5 million claims last year and about $15 billion in awards—fueling a stalemate between doctors and insurers over fixes. Lawmakers across the aisle say action is needed, but consensus remains elusive: Rep. Greg Murphy seeks harsher penalties on insurers who don’t pay arbitration judgments, insurers push back against overreach, and CMS has issued rules to streamline the process while advocates argue broader reform is still required.