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- Federal IDR Surprise Billing Portal Reopened for All Dispute Types December 15
On December 15, the federal government reopened the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process and began accepting all dispute types after being shut down since August. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services closed the portal as a result of the Texas Medical Association v. United States Department of Health and Human Services case where the judge ruled in favor of physicians on August 3. The portal was later reopened for single disputes but not for batched disputes. The CMS’ latest action reopened the federal IDR portal to process all dispute types, including previously initiated batched disputes, new batched disputes, and new single disputes involving air ambulance services. According to the CMS website, parties for whom the IDR initiation deadline under applicable regulations fell on any date between August 3, 2023, and December 15, 2023, will have until January 16, 2024, to initiate a new batched dispute. Parties for whom the IDR initiation deadline falls between December 16, 2023, and January 15, 2024, will also have until January 16, 2024, to initiate a batched dispute. Parties whose initiation deadline falls on January 16, 2024, or after will have the usual 4 business days after the end of the Open Negotiation Period, or if the dispute is subject to the 90-calendar-day suspension period following a payment determination, the usual 30 business day period, to initiate a batched or air ambulance dispute in the federal IDR portal. In addition, the deadline to submit fees and offers will remain 10 business days after certified IDR entities are selected. Read more.
On December 15, the federal government reopened the independent dispute resolution (IDR) process and began accepting all dispute types after being shut down since August. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services closed the portal as a result of the Texas Medical Association v. United States Department of Health and Human Services case where the judge ruled in favor of physicians on August 3.
The portal was later reopened for single disputes but not for batched disputes. The CMS’ latest action reopened the federal IDR portal to process all dispute types, including previously initiated batched disputes, new batched disputes, and new single disputes involving air ambulance services.
According to the CMS website, parties for whom the IDR initiation deadline under applicable regulations fell on any date between August 3, 2023, and December 15, 2023, will have until January 16, 2024, to initiate a new batched dispute.
Parties for whom the IDR initiation deadline falls between December 16, 2023, and January 15, 2024, will also have until January 16, 2024, to initiate a batched dispute. Parties whose initiation deadline falls on January 16, 2024, or after will have the usual 4 business days after the end of the Open Negotiation Period, or if the dispute is subject to the 90-calendar-day suspension period following a payment determination, the usual 30 business day period, to initiate a batched or air ambulance dispute in the federal IDR portal.
In addition, the deadline to submit fees and offers will remain 10 business days after certified IDR entities are selected. Read more.