Final Rule Released Updating No Surprises Act Independent Dispute Resolution Process
(June 2, 2026) - Last week, the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury released a final rule implementing several reforms to the No Surprises Act independent dispute resolution process.
The rule is focused on streamlining communication between payers, providers, and certified IDR entities while also clarifying timelines and processes. Specifically, the final rule will:
- Allow up to 50 items and services to be batched in the same payment dispute;
- Increase access to the IDR process by reducing the administrative fee from $115 to $15 per party per dispute;
- Require payers to use standardized claim codes when communicating about out-of-network services to help providers determine early whether a claim qualifies for the IDR process; and
- Lay the groundwork for a centralized platform to manage disputes which will launch beginning in phases this year.