Join Paragon for a virtual discussion on how the No Surprises Act’s federal arbitration system is reshaping out-of-network payment disputes. Our panelists will examine why dispute volume and arbitration awards have grown far beyond initial expectations, how the current process may be affecting provider contracting incentives and health care costs, and what reforms policymakers can pursue to preserve protections from surprise bills while avoiding cost increases for American families. The event will feature two panels with experts from the American Enterprise Institute and Brookings Institution, as well as representatives of employers and physicians, discussing the IDR process and its consequences.
The event is based on a new Paragon research paper, Fixing the No Surprises Act: Scaling Back and Reforming the Federal Arbitration System. The paper shows that federal IDR disputes have surged, providers prevail in the large majority of cases, and arbitration awards often substantially exceed typical in-network rates—giving providers greater incentives to remain out of network and greater leverage to demand higher in-network rates. The paper contains Paragon’s recommendations, which include removing elective services from arbitration and placing limits on arbitration awards for emergency services.
Panelists:
- Jackson Hammond—Senior Policy Analyst, Paragon Health Institute
- Brian Blase, PhD—President, Paragon Health Institute
First Panel
- Loren Adler—Senior Fellow of Economics and Associate Director of the Center on Health Policy, Brookings Institution
- Ben Ippolito—Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
Second Panel
- James Gelfand—Chief Executive Officer and President, ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC)
- Randy Pilgrim—Enterprise Chief Medical Officer, SCP Health; Co-chair, American College of Emergency Physicians’ Task Force on Alternative Payment Models and Emergency Department Practice Management Association’s Federal Health Policy Committee; Emergency Physician for more than 25 years
