Knowledge Center
No Surprises Act Update: A Positive Step in Physician Advocacy
On April 27, 2026, a coalition of physician organizations, including the American Medical Association, submitted a letter to federal agencies regarding how the No Surprises Act is being applied.
What this recent AMA letter means for out-of-network surgeons
The letter does not challenge the law itself. Instead, it focuses on how key parts of the process, particularly the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) system, are functioning in practice.
More importantly, it represents a meaningful step forward in advocacy for providers.
Why it matters for OON surgeons
For independent, out-of-network surgeons, many of the concerns raised will feel familiar.
The letter highlights issues such as:
- Payment delays or inconsistencies following IDR decisions
- Reopening of previously resolved disputes
- Limited transparency into the Qualified Payment Amount (QPA)
- Administrative complexity tied to eligibility and documentation
These are real, day-to-day challenges in managing out-of-network reimbursement.
What’s different now is that they are being raised collectively, at a national level.
Coordinated effort brings visibility and discussion
The significance of this letter is not just in the issues it outlines, but in the level of coordination behind it.
When multiple physician organizations align on how the No Surprises Act is being applied, it brings greater visibility to the provider experience within the IDR process.
It also reinforces that these challenges are not isolated, they are being recognized more broadly and discussed more directly.
The structure of the NSA remains in place
The requirements around NSA compliance and IDR management have not changed.
For surgeons, that means continuing to focus on:
- Identifying eligible claims
- Managing IDR submissions carefully
- Tracking reimbursement through completion
At the same time, this type of advocacy signals that how the process is being applied is under closer review.
This letter is a positive step
It reflects growing alignment among physician groups and increased attention on how out-of-network reimbursement is working in practice.
For providers, it reinforces two things:
- The importance of continuing to manage the process carefully today
- And the fact that these challenges are now being recognized at a broader level
The CHRMS Take
The recent letter from the American Medical Association and other physician groups is a positive step in advocacy for providers under the No Surprises Act.
It brings greater visibility to how the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process is working in practice and highlights issues many out-of-network surgeons are already managing.
This kind of coordinated input helps ensure the provider perspective is part of the ongoing conversation around how the law is applied.