EXPLAINER: New federal law targets medical bill surprises

By TOM MURPHY
AP Health Writer

Patients worried about getting hit with an unexpected bill after emergency care have a new layer of protection. The No Surprises Act went into effect this month. It prevents doctors or hospitals in many situations from billing insured patients higher rates because the care providers are not in their insurer’s coverage network. The law won’t eliminate billing surprises. But it is expected to ease concerns, especially in emergencies where patients may not have time to choose an in-network doctor. The law also applies to some non-emergency care and gives patients help in figuring out how to contest a bill.