The No Surprises Act went into effect on January 1, but it hasn't fully put a stop to unexpected medical bills.
Surprises bills continue to be sprung on patients, even with a federal ban in place, with one in five adults receiving an unexpected medical charge this year, according to a survey by Morning Consult.
The No Surprises Act, which went into effect on January 1, is meant to protect patients from receiving unforeseen bills for out-of-network and emergency services after receiving treatment.
Yet 20% of respondents in the Morning Consult survey say they or their family have been charged unexpectedly, with another one in five billed after being treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility.
The bills have been especially costly in some cases, as 22% of respondents say their charges were over $1,000.
Unexpected charges haven't just been an issue after the fact. The survey found about one in four adults delayed or skipped medical care because they were concerned with receiving a surprise bill. Emergency room care suffered the most in this facet, with 14% of respondents saying they did not seek care, while another 14% say they hesitated but ended up receiving care.
Emergency room bills are also what respondents feel they would be least confident in knowing up front, with 45% of adults expressing suspicion. Meanwhile, 71% say they are confident in knowing primary care costs.
When it comes to addressing an unlawful surprise bill with a provider or insurer, 63% of respondents—including 61% of those who have previously received an unexpected charge—express confidence.
Those who answered they are less sure about resolving a surprise bill pointed to distrust in both healthcare companies and the system to make it right.
Finally, only 16% of adults say they've either seen, read or heard about the No Surprises Act.
While not completely stopping surprising billing, the law is reportedly alleviating the problem somewhat.
In the first two months after going into effect, the ban prevented more than two million surprise bills, according to a survey from AHIP and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Jay Asser is the contributing editor for strategy at HealthLeaders.