Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§300gg–131 Balance billing in cases of emergency services

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 6A— - PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER XXV— - REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE › Part Part E— - Health Care Provider Requirements › § 300gg–131

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

People covered by a group health plan or health insurance who get emergency care at a hospital emergency room or a free‑standing emergency department during a plan year starting on or after January 1, 2022 must not be billed for more than the cost‑sharing amount their plan requires for those emergency services. If the hospital or emergency facility is not in the plan’s network, the facility cannot charge the patient more than the plan’s cost‑sharing. If an individual provider at the visit is out of network, that provider also cannot charge the patient more than the plan’s cost‑sharing for those services. The word “visit” is used the same way it is in the related emergency care rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §300gg–131

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In the case of a participant, beneficiary, or enrollee with benefits under a group health plan or group or individual health insurance coverage offered by a health insurance issuer and who is furnished during a plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2022, emergency services (for which benefits are provided under the plan or coverage) with respect to an emergency medical condition with respect to a visit at an emergency department of a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department—

(1)in the case that the hospital or independent freestanding emergency department is a nonparticipating emergency facility, the emergency department of a hospital or independent freestanding emergency department shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, the participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for such emergency services so furnished that is more than the cost-sharing requirement for such services (as determined in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 300gg–111(a)(1)(C) of this title, of section 9816(a)(1)(C) of title 26, and of section 1185e(a)(1)(C) of title 29, as applicable); and

(2)in the case that such services are furnished by a nonparticipating provider, the health care provider shall not bill, and shall not hold liable, such participant, beneficiary, or enrollee for a payment amount for an emergency service furnished to such individual by such provider with respect to such emergency medical condition and visit for which the individual receives emergency services at the hospital or emergency department that is more than the cost-sharing requirement for such services furnished by the provider (as determined in accordance with clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 300gg–111(a)(1)(C) of this title, of section 9816(a)(1)(C) of title 26, and of section 1185e(a)(1)(C) of title 29, as applicable).

(b)In this section, the term “visit” shall have such meaning as applied to such term for purposes of section 300gg–111(b) of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 300gg–131

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73