EBRI: No Surprises Act arbitration added an estimated $8.39bn to employer health plan costs in 2025
Key points
- The IDR process created about $8.39 billion in additional health plan payment obligations in 2025
- That is about 63 cents per $100 of job-based coverage spending
- Roughly 2.56 million disputes were initiated in 2025, versus about 22,000 per year originally projected
New EBRI research published November 12, 2026 estimates the No Surprises Act's federal independent dispute resolution (IDR) process created $8.39 billion in additional health plan payment obligations in 2025, about 63 cents per $100 of job-based coverage spending. CMS data show roughly 2.56 million disputes were initiated in 2025, versus about 22,000 per year originally projected by federal agencies.
Original report: Human Resources Director ↗AI-assisted brief; may contain inaccuracies. Rely on the original reports and official documents. For information only; not legal, immigration or insurance advice.