Appeals Court Upholds Invalidating Parts of No Surprises Act Payment Rules

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a district court's decision, invalidating key federal agency rules for calculating the "qualifying payment amount" (QPA) under the No Surprises Act. This en banc ruling, issued August 11, 2026, significantly impacts how insurers determine benchmark rates in the independent dispute resolution process, potentially affecting healthcare costs and provider reimbursements.