MMA Signs on to AMA Letter Urging Stronger Enforcement of the “No Surprises Act”

April 30, 2026

The MMA has signed onto an AMA letter urging federal departments to improve enforcement of the “No Surprises Act." The Act, enacted in 2022, aims to protect patients from unexpected medical bills when they unknowingly seek care from out-of-network providers.  

The letter primarily concerns the “Independent Dispute Resolution” (IDR) process, which is initiated when providers and patients disagree on payments for services subject to the Act. Specifically, the letter asks federal departments to: 

1. Stop health plans from – allegedly – increasing patient cost-sharing when IDR decisions are made in the provider’s favor (i.e., effectively forcing patients to pay the difference), 

2. Revise June 2025 technical guidance that allows health plans broad ability to re-open closed IDR cases to delay and withhold payments to providers, and 

3. Require health plans to (a) disclose all case information necessary to determine accurate claim eligibility under the IDR process and (b) require health plans to meaningfully participate in the IDR process through the federal portal. 

The letter was sent on April 27 to the Secretaries of the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Health and Human Services.  

Contact Adrian Uphoff, manager of health policy and regulatory affairs, with questions.