Bill > S2420

This bill increases penalties and enforcement mechanisms for violations of the No Surprises Act, which protects patients from unexpected medical bills. Specifically, the bill raises civil monetary penalties to $10,000 per violation for group health plans, health insurance issuers, and non-participating healthcare providers who fail to comply with balance billing requirements. The bill introduces new penalties for late or non-payment after an independent dispute resolution (IDR) process, requiring parties that do not pay within 30 days to pay three times the difference between their initial payment and the out-of-network rate. Additionally, the bill mandates more comprehensive reporting requirements, with federal agencies required to submit detailed semi-annual reports to Congressional committees about audits, complaints, enforcement actions, and the most common violations related to surprise medical billing. These changes aim to strengthen consumer protections and ensure more rigorous compliance with existing surprise billing regulations across the Public Health Service Act, Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and Internal Revenue Code.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2420/all-info