A lobby representing medical practice administrators wants at least six months' notice from CMS before more requirements for the No Surprises Act are enforced.
The current requirements of the act already have created significant administrative burdens for medical practices, the Medical Group Management Association said in an Aug. 2 letter to HHS and CMS officials.
The interim final rules establishing No Surprises Act requirements were published with minimal time prior to the implementation date, the group said. The tight turnaround created significant confusion, and while HHS and CMS have provided several detailed resources, the clarifying information came after the new mandates took effect. Practices had already rushed to interpret the requirement, and the clarifications caused duplicative work to update processes to be in full compliance with the policies.
The No Surprises Act went into effect Jan. 1. Seven months later, a majority of attendees of a Medical Group Management Association webinar said additional guidance is needed to fully understand the mandates, according to the letter. With continued uncertainty, adding new requirements "will only create additional burdens and uncertainties for both providers and patients."
"To avoid further confusion among group practices and ensure such policies are fully communicated and understood, MGMA recommends HHS and CMS provide at least 6 months after the publication of any final rule implementing requirements under the No Surprises Act prior to the enforcement date," the letter stated.