Landmark rule streamlines arbitration, reduces administrative burdens and resolves longstanding implementation challenges under the No Surprises Act
DALLAS, May 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HaloMD welcomed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) final rule modernizing the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process established under the No Surprises Act (NSA), calling it a major step toward creating a more efficient arbitration system for providers, payers and patients.
The final rule, issued jointly by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury, addresses many of the operational and administrative challenges providers have faced when navigating the IDR process.
“Regulators have done the hard work of smoothing out the major points of friction in the NSA’s arbitration process,” said Alla LaRoque, President of HaloMD. “Today’s rule preserves the fundamental patient protections while removing complexity, ambiguity and administrative waste for everyone involved.”
However, for the No Surprises Act to realize its full legislative intent, policymakers must address glaring enforcement challenges; among them is the lack of timely compliance with arbitration decisions, which places significant financial pressure on providers as they care for patients day in and day out.
“Doctors want to be in-network, but there is no incentive for insurers to create durable networking arrangements until the law is meaningfully enforced,” said Patrick Velliky, Chief External Affairs Officer at HaloMD. “The final piece now rests with Congress. The NSA Enforcement Act would create the enforcement mechanisms needed to ensure arbitration awards are honored and paid promptly. Once that happens, the incentives set up by the NSA will operate the way they were originally intended, driving fair, reasonable and sustainable in-network arrangements.”
Since the implementation of the NSA, the federal IDR process has handled millions of disputes while providers and payers navigated evolving guidance, litigation and administrative bottlenecks. HaloMD has consistently supported and continues to champion the patient protections under the NSA while advocating for a transparent arbitration process that ensures physicians receive fair and sustainable reimbursement for care delivered.
About HaloMD
HaloMD is the #1 provider of Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) services as indicated by public CMS data, backed by industry leading technology infrastructure and data intelligence. The company supports healthcare providers navigating the federal No Surprises Act and state balance-billing laws, combining proprietary technology, advanced analytics and deep specialty expertise to advance fair reimbursement and long-term financial sustainability, empowering care teams to focus on providing high-quality patient care.
Privately held and founder-led, HaloMD serves more than 20,000 providers, from independent physicians to hospitals and health systems, across 50 states and Washington, D.C., so they can continue caring for the patients and communities they serve.
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SOURCE HaloMD
