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Reporting And Data

CMS "No Surprises Act" Disclosures, Notices, & ConsentsNEW 

Latest Update: January 18, 2022
PROVIDE FEEDBACK

Information

A provider or facility must disclose to any participant, beneficiary, or enrollee in a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage to whom the provider or facility furnishes items and services information regarding federal and state (if applicable) balance billing protections and how to report violations. Providers or facilities must post this information prominently at the location of the facility, post it on a public website (if applicable) and provide it to the participant, beneficiary or enrollee in a timeframe and manner outlined in regulation.

Responsible Party

Who Must Report?

Nonparticipating emergency facility – an emergency department of a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department (or a hospital with respect to post-stabilization services) that does not have a contractual relationship directly or indirectly with a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage, with respect to the furnishing of an item or service under the plan or coverage.

Nonparticipating provider – any physician or other health care provider who does not have a contractual relationship directly or indirectly with a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage, with respect to the furnishing of an item or service under the plan or coverage.

Participating health care facility – any health care facility that has a contractual relationship directly or indirectly with a group health plan or health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage, with respect to the furnishing of an item or service under the plan or coverage.

These provider, facility, and provider of air ambulance services requirements generally apply to items and services provided to individuals enrolled in group health plans or group or individual health insurance coverage, and Federal Employees Health Benefit plans. The good faith estimate requirement and the requirements related to the patient-provider dispute resolution process also apply to the uninsured.

These requirements do not apply to beneficiaries or enrollees in federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, Indian Health Services, Veterans Affairs Health Care, or TRICARE. These programs have other protections against high medical bills.

Effective Date

When Do I Report?

January 1, 2022

Method

How Do I Report?

Required methods for disclosing information. Health care providers and health care facilities must provide the disclosure required under this section as follows:

(1) With respect to the required disclosure to be posted on a public website, the information described in paragraph (b) of this section, or a link to such information, must appear on a searchable homepage of the provider's or facility's website. A provider or facility that does not have its own website is not required to make a disclosure under this paragraph (c)(1).

(2) With respect to the required disclosure to the public, a provider or facility must make public the information described in paragraph (b) of this section on a sign posted prominently at the location of the provider or facility. A provider that does not have a publicly accessible location is not required to make a disclosure under this paragraph (c)(2).

(3) With respect to the required disclosure to individuals who are participants, beneficiaries, or enrollees of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a provider or facility must provide the information described in paragraph (b) of this section in a one-page (double-sided) notice, using print no smaller than 12-point font. The notice must be provided in-person or through mail or email, as selected by the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee.

(d) Timing of disclosure to individuals. A health care provider or health care facility is required to provide the notice to individuals who are participants, beneficiaries, or enrollees of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer no later than the date and time on which the provider or facility requests payment from the individual, or with respect to an individual from whom the provider or facility does not request payment, no later than the date on which the provider or facility submits a claim to the group health plan or health insurance issuer.

Benefit/Penalty

Why Should I Report?

Under the statute, CMS will only enforce a provision with respect to the applicable regulated parties if CMS determines that a state is not substantially enforcing that provision. This can occur, for example, when a state lacks authority to enforce, or requests that CMS enforce, one or more provisions.

Prior to January 1, 2022, CMS will publish a list, by state, of provisions CMS will enforce.

Authority

The legal mandate requiring reporting

Title I (No Surprises Act) of Division BB of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA) amended title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) to add a new Part E.

eCFR :: 45 CFR 149.430 -- Provider and facility disclosure requirements regarding patient protections against balance billing.

§ 149.430 Provider and facility disclosure requirements regarding patient protections against balance billing.

(a) In general. Each health care provider and health care facility (including an emergency department of a hospital and an independent freestanding emergency department) must make publicly available, post on a public website of such provider or facility (if applicable), and provide to any individual who is a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and to whom the provider or facility furnishes items or services, the information described in paragraph (b) of this section regarding patient protections against balance billing, except as provided in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. A provider or facility must make the disclosures in accordance with the method and timing requirements set forth in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section.

(b) Content. The disclosures required under this section must include, in clear and understandable language, all the information described in this paragraph (b) (and may include any additional information that does not conflict with that information).

(1) A statement that explains the requirements of and prohibitions applicable to the health care provider or health care facility under sections 2799B-1 and 2799B-2 of the PHS Act and their implementing regulations in §§ 149.410 and 149.420;

(2) If applicable, a statement that explains any State law requirements regarding the amounts such provider or facility may, with respect to an item or service, charge a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer with respect to which such provider or facility does not have a contractual relationship, after receiving payment, if any, from the plan or coverage, respectively, for such item or service and any applicable cost-sharing payment from such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee; and

(3) A statement providing contact information for the appropriate State and Federal agencies that an individual may contact if the individual believes the provider or facility has violated a requirement described in the notice.

(c) Required methods for disclosing information. Health care providers and health care facilities must provide the disclosure required under this section as follows:

(1) With respect to the required disclosure to be posted on a public website, the information described in paragraph (b) of this section, or a link to such information, must appear on a searchable homepage of the provider's or facility's website. A provider or facility that does not have its own website is not required to make a disclosure under this paragraph (c)(1).

(2) With respect to the required disclosure to the public, a provider or facility must make public the information described in paragraph (b) of this section on a sign posted prominently at the location of the provider or facility. A provider that does not have a publicly accessible location is not required to make a disclosure under this paragraph (c)(2).

(3) With respect to the required disclosure to individuals who are participants, beneficiaries, or enrollees of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer, a provider or facility must provide the information described in paragraph (b) of this section in a one-page (double-sided) notice, using print no smaller than 12-point font. The notice must be provided in-person or through mail or email, as selected by the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee.

(d) Timing of disclosure to individuals. A health care provider or health care facility is required to provide the notice to individuals who are participants, beneficiaries, or enrollees of a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer no later than the date and time on which the provider or facility requests payment from the individual, or with respect to an individual from whom the provider or facility does not request payment, no later than the date on which the provider or facility submits a claim to the group health plan or health insurance issuer.

(e) Exceptions. A health care provider is not required to make the disclosures required under this section -

(1) If the provider does not furnish items or services at a health care facility, or in connection with visits at health care facilities; or

(2) To individuals to whom the provider furnishes items or services, if such items or services are not furnished at a health care facility, or in connection with a visit at a health care facility.

(f) Special rule to prevent unnecessary duplication with respect to health care providers. To the extent a provider furnishes an item or service covered under the plan or coverage at a health care facility (including an emergency department of a hospital or independent freestanding emergency department), the provider satisfies the requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section if the facility makes the information available, in the required form and manner, pursuant to a written agreement. Accordingly, if a provider and facility enter into a written agreement under which the facility agrees to make the information required under this section available on a sign posted prominently at the facility and to provide the one-page notice to individuals in compliance with this section, and the facility fails to do so, then the facility, but not the provider, violates the disclosure requirements of this section.

(g) Applicability date. The provisions of this section are applicable beginning on January 1, 2022.

Notes

Any other pertinent information

Send any questions about the provider requirements and provider enforcement to provider_enforcement@cms.hhs.gov.

DISCLAIMER
Although many of these requirements apply to individual medical professionals and other types of hospitals and health care facilities, the information is presented solely to support Critical Access Hospitals. The reporting requirements and legal mandates on this site are not an exhaustive list and Nevada Rural Hospital Partners, Inc. bears no responsibility or liability for any hospitals' or providers' failure to comply with Federal or State laws or regulations.