I wrote about this in Tip # 484 but missed the real ‘meat.’

Thanks to a Quarles & Brady webinar this week (John Barlament, a super reliable health care expert), let’s review again.

HR 133 combines $900 billion in stimulus relief for the Covid pandemic with $1.2 trillion “omnibus spending” for the 2021 federal fiscal year.

Relevant to us:  extending COBRA eligibility, FSA carry over provisions, etc.

Pretty mundane. But then there’s this.

Included in the CAA’s 5,000+ pages (besides Barlament, who would read this), is the “No Surprises Act” addressing:

• fixes to the often reported (including Tip # 418) out of network ER billing surprises.
• transparency; in the form of advanced EOBs, price comparison tools, the end of ‘Gag Clauses’ and, compensation disclosure for brokers.

There’s more, but with just 30 Seconds, let me finish.

Most of these rules have to be implemented by 1-1-2022. The scramble is on.

After so many years of stonewalling on transparency, you might wonder if health insurers and providers are apoplectic about this.

Pretty sure you’d be half right!