RevGuard Publishes Policy Brief Examining Federal Data on No Surprises Act IDR Process

Federal data show fewer than 0.05% of commercial claims reach IDR arbitration, challenging recent narratives about the No Surprises Act.

AUSTIN, TX, UNITED STATES, July 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- New report reviews publicly available government and industry data related to the Independent Dispute Resolution process established under the No Surprises Act.

RevGuard, a medical billing and revenue cycle management firm specializing in No Surprises Act (NSA) Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) and Revenue Cycle Management (RCM), today announced the release of a new policy brief examining publicly available data and research related to the federal Independent Dispute Resolution process established under the No Surprises Act.

The policy brief, **"The Wall Street Journal Got the $15 Billion Story All Wrong,"** analyzes information published by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Congressional Research Service (CRS), Government Accountability Office (GAO), America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and peer-reviewed research to provide additional context on the use of the federal IDR process.

According to the policy brief, the Congressional Budget Office reported in June 2026, citing AHIP's 2024 survey data, that fewer than **0.05 percent** of all commercial claims proceed to Independent Dispute Resolution arbitration.

The policy brief also summarizes several findings from publicly available government and industry sources, including:

* According to CBO analysis citing AHIP's 2024 survey, approximately 79% of No Surprises Act-eligible claims are resolved without entering the federal IDR process.

* CMS and Congressional Research Service data indicate adjudicated ineligibility rates have generally ranged from 17% to 19% and have declined over time.

* CMS data for the fourth quarter of 2024 report that approximately 26% of disputes were resolved by default because one party did not complete the required submissions, with the majority of those defaults occurring against payers.

* Government Accountability Office reporting found reductions in patient out-of-pocket spending for covered services and increased in-network participation across several affected specialties following implementation of the No Surprises Act.

"The No Surprises Act and its Independent Dispute Resolution process continue to be an important topic for healthcare providers, payers, and policymakers," said Samuel Morrell, Founder and CEO of RevGuard. "Our policy brief brings together publicly available federal and industry data to help inform that discussion while reinforcing our commitment to helping providers navigate the IDR process and pursue reimbursement in accordance with the No Surprises Act."

The policy brief also discusses the **No Surprises Act Enforcement Act (H.R. 4710 / S. 2420)** and summarizes how the proposed legislation could affect enforcement of payment obligations for binding IDR determinations.

The complete policy brief, including references to CBO, CMS, CRS, GAO, AHIP, and peer-reviewed literature, is available at **revguard.co/idr-policy-brief**.

About RevGuard

RevGuard is a specialized medical revenue cycle management (RCM) and Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) company dedicated to protecting and strengthening independent healthcare practices. By combining deep industry expertise with a results-driven approach, RevGuard helps providers maximize reimbursement, navigate complex payer disputes, and pursue payment in accordance with the No Surprises Act. Through comprehensive revenue cycle management and expert IDR support, RevGuard serves physicians, ambulatory surgery centers, and healthcare organizations nationwide.


Visit https://revguard.co/idr-policy-brief/ for the full IDR Policy Brief

Samuel Morrell
RevGuard
+1 512-982-0183
contact@revguard.co
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