The No Surprises Act is a federal law that took effect January 1, 2022, protecting patients from unexpected medical bills in two key situations: emergency care at out-of-network facilities, and non-emergency care provided by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility (like an out-of-network anesthesiologist at an in-network hospital).
Under the No Surprises Act, in covered situations:
The law also requires providers to give you a Good Faith Estimate of expected charges before scheduled non-emergency services, so you can anticipate your costs in advance.
The No Surprises Act does not apply when you knowingly and voluntarily choose an out-of-network provider for scheduled care and sign a consent form acknowledging out-of-network costs. Always read any consent forms carefully before signing.
Contact your insurer and confirm that the situation falls under No Surprises Act protections. If it does, your cost-sharing should be limited to your in-network amount. If the provider continues to bill you more, you can file a complaint with the federal No Surprises Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 or with your state insurance department.
No. The law specifically does not apply to ground ambulance services. Ambulance balance billing remains a significant consumer risk. Some states have enacted their own ambulance billing protections — check your state’s rules or ask your insurer what your plan covers for ambulance transport.
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