The American Society of Anesthesiologists, American College of Emergency Physicians and American College of Radiology oppose the Lower Premiums, Faster Payments Act, according to an AASA news release shared with Becker’s Oct. 9.
The bill would eliminate the No Surprises Act’s independent dispute resolution process and let health insurers calculate out-of-network payments.
Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., introduced the legislation. The three groups said the bill would remove an independent safeguard against low insurer payments and would also reward insurer practices that have strained the law’s implementation.
The groups’ September analysis for Congress cited federal data showing insurers did not participate and lost by default on 24.5% of IDR line items in 2025. Insurers offered $1 or less on 8.2% of line items. Excluding defaults, nearly 40% of insurer offers fell at or below the qualifying payment amount.
“Giving health insurance companies even greater control over physician payments is not the solution to concerns about the IDR process,” ASA President Patrick Giam, MD, said.
ACEP President Ryan Stanton, MD, said independent practices are often shut out of IDR. He added that they face consolidation pressure as insurers push them out of network. ACR CEO Dana Smetherman, MD, said independent arbiters routinely reject insurers’ unreasonably low offers. Dr. Smetherman warned that ending arbitration would threaten the ability of community-based and hospital-based practices to negotiate reasonable payment.
The groups called the bill premature. Federal agencies finalized an IDR operations rule in May, but significant provisions have not taken effect. In August, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit struck down parts of the QPA methodology, including “ghost rates” and the exclusion of bonus and incentive payments. Agencies have yet to fully implement the changes the ruling requires.
The organizations urged Congress to pursue bipartisan fixes instead, including stronger enforcement when insurers fail to pay arbitration awards, fewer ineligible claims and limits on outlier awards.
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