A federal law effective January 2022 that bars surprise balance billing for emergency care and for out-of-network clinicians at in-network hospitals.
Why this matters to you
Before this law, you could choose an in-network hospital and still receive a large bill because the anaesthetist or radiologist who treated you was not in your network. Now, for emergency care and most non-emergency care at an in-network facility, you owe only your normal in-network cost sharing. If you get a surprise bill anyway, it may be unlawful — do not simply pay it.
Official source
The authoritative definition and current rules are published here:
Rules and figures change. Where this page and the official source disagree, the official source is correct — and we would like to know, so please tell us.