When a payor and healthcare provider are unable to agree on the out-of-network rate for a surprise bill, the No Surprises Act (NSA) allows either party to initiate independent dispute resolution (IDR) where the final reimbursement amount will be determined through baseball-style arbitration.  To ensure the timeline and process requirements of the Federal IDR Process are met, the Departments* have established a Federal IDR portal to administer the process.  The Federal IDR portal must be used to satisfy various requirements including initiating the Federal IDR process, selecting an IDR entity, and submitting offers.

Status of the Federal IDR Portal

The Federal IDR portal is up, but does not yet have all of the functionality needed to administer the arbitration process.  Below is a list of what the portal contains as of February 8, 2022:

  • Rules and fact sheets explaining what the No Surprises rules cover, numerous provider resources and detailed balance billing rules
  • Information on how out-of-network payment disputes between providers and health plans will be decided
  • An application to become a dispute resolution entity
  • A form to submit feedback on applicants
  • A list of certified organizations
  • Information about consumer rights and protections to end surprise bills and remove members/patients from payment disagreements between their providers, healthcare facilities and health plans

As of February 8, 2022, CMS has yet to provide a date that the portal will be fully functional.

How do I access the Federal IDR Portal?

The Federal IDR Portal is located at https://www.nsa-idr.cms.gov/.

Learn how MultiPlan’s Surprise Billing Service can help you comply with requirements of the No Surprises Act.

The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes. If you have questions about how the No Surprises Act applies to your organization, please consult your legal counsel.

* The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of the Treasury.