aequum Responds to Federal Layoffs Threatening Enforcement of the No Surprises Act

/EIN News/ -- CLEVELAND, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- aequum LLC, a tech-driven, cost containment company serving more than 425 self-insured health plans and their participants in all 50 states, today issued a statement in response to ongoing staffing cuts at the federal agency responsible for implementing the No Surprises Act (NSA). Earlier this year, the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)—which oversees NSA compliance and dispute resolution—laid off 15% of its workforce. Additional reductions have now taken effect, raising serious concerns about the agency’s capacity to enforce key patient protections.

“These layoffs come at a time when the No Surprises Act is already under stress from overwhelming volume and unresolved legal challenges,” says Christine Cooper, CEO of aequum. “The federal government’s ability to enforce key patient protections is weakening, which means employers, plan sponsors and third-party administrators will need to do more to protect participants from surprise medical bills.”

The CCIIO plays a central role in enforcing NSA provisions, overseeing the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) system and managing the patient complaint portal. More than 650,000 disputes were filed in 2023, far exceeding projections. With fewer regulators and no finalized rule updates, stakeholders are bracing for longer delays, inconsistent outcomes and increased legal risk.

“The breakdown in federal enforcement makes it even more important for plans to partner with organizations that can defend against out-of-network overbilling and navigate complex arbitration procedures,” continues Cooper. “With enforcement lagging, self-insured plans need partners who can step in, manage disputes and defend participants from surprise bills. This is where experienced support makes all the difference and aequum remains committed to helping plans minimize risk and cost exposure through strategic balance bill defense, overpayment recovery and regulatory support.”

aequum calls for:

• Reinstatement and proper funding of NSA enforcement staff.
• Finalized updates to streamline the IDR process.
• Increased transparency around dispute resolution metrics and timelines.
  

About aequum LLC
Founded in 2020, aequum LLC serves third-party administrators, medical cost management companies, stop-loss carriers, employer-sponsored health plans, and brokers nationwide to protect plan participants, improve employee satisfaction with their healthcare plans, and generate plan and participant cost savings. aequum LLC helps patients defend against medical balance bills and provides administrative services to its partners. Its sister organization, Koehler Fitzgerald LLC, offers legal advocacy to plan participants. Visit aequumhealth.com.

Media Contact
Esther Jin
ejin@cpronline.com  
201.641.1911 x 10