Free consultation — no recovery, no fee (212) 300-3191
For Out-of-Network Providers

The Insurer Is Not Setting a Fair Rate. You Have the Right to Fight It.

Most out-of-network providers accept whatever the insurer pays because they don't know they can dispute it — or don't have the legal infrastructure to do so. We build that infrastructure for you, on contingency.

The Problem

Why Systematic Underpayment Persists

📉

The QPA Is Not a Fair Rate — It's a Floor

The federal Qualifying Payment Amount is a 2019 median contracted rate, indexed for inflation. Arbitrators have consistently found it understates actual market value — median awards now exceed 4× the QPA. Yet insurers pay it as though it's the ceiling.

⏱️

Most Providers Miss the Filing Windows

The federal IDR process has a 4-business-day window to file after the 30-day negotiation period closes. Most small practices have no system to track this. Missed deadlines mean forfeited claims — permanently.

📋

The Credible Information Package Is Decisive

Baseball-style arbitration means the arbitrator picks one offer. Providers who win build comprehensive evidence packages: FAIR Health data, provider credentials, case complexity documentation, and prior payment history. Most practices submit none of this.

🗓️

Underpaid NY Claims May Still Be Recoverable

New York state IDR under Financial Services Law Article 6 and Insurance Law § 3241 has no fixed statutory filing deadline; practical filing window is approximately 2–3 years bounded by records/EOB retrievability, with up to six additional years available for parallel breach-of-contract litigation under CPLR § 213(2) for fully-insured plans. Claims written off in 2022 or 2023 may still be arbitrable under 23 NYCRR 400.

"A large percentage of out-of-network providers do not submit claims to arbitration and are, therefore, stuck with a fractional QPA payment. The insurance carriers know this and pay these providers peanuts."

— Minevich Law Group, healthcare reimbursement attorneys


85%

Provider win rate in federal IDR disputes (CMS 2024 data)


Median award above insurer's QPA offer (Q4 2024)


99%+

Of IDR disputes are initiated by providers, not insurers

What We Do

End-to-End IDR Representation on Contingency

We handle the entire arbitration process so your billing staff doesn't have to. No upfront cost — we only get paid if you do.

01

Claim Audit & Eligibility Review

We review your claim history to identify all disputes eligible for NY state IDR or federal NSA arbitration — including claims going back 3 years under New York law. Most practices discover significant recoverable revenue they didn't know existed.

02

Deadline Tracking & Filing

We track all federal IDR filing windows (4 business days post-negotiation period) and NY IDR deadlines (3 years from original payment). We draft and submit all IDR initiation notices, select certified IDR entities strategically, and manage all correspondence with the CMS or DFS portal.

03

Credible Information Package

We build the evidentiary submission that wins arbitration: FAIR Health 80th percentile data for the specific CPT code and ZIP code, your credentials and board certifications, case complexity documentation from operative reports, and prior payment history with the disputing payer.

04

Offer Calibration Strategy

Baseball-style arbitration is won or lost on offer positioning. We calibrate your offer to be the "reasonable" one versus the payer's QPA-anchored offer. Offers too close to billed charges lose credibility; offers too close to QPA leave money on the table. We find the right number.

05

Batching for High-Volume Practices

For practices with high claim volumes against the same payer, we batch multiple disputes into single IDR filings — dramatically reducing per-claim administrative cost and arbitration fees. This is the strategy used by the most successful high-volume IDR filers nationally.

06

Post-Award Enforcement

IDR determinations are binding. If an insurer fails to pay within 30 days of determination, we pursue enforcement. We also handle reopening requests when an IDR entity has committed a procedural error — a right clarified by CMS guidance in 2025.

Specialty Strategies

How We Approach Each Specialty

Every specialty has a different credible information framework. Here's what we focus on for the most common provider types we represent.

Anesthesiologists are defined as ancillary providers under 45 C.F.R. § 149.420(b)(1) and NY FSL § 603(h). You cannot obtain patient consent waivers. You cannot balance-bill. Your revenue recovery is entirely through IDR — which means every underpaid claim that goes undisputed is permanent revenue loss.

Key Documentation
  • ASA physical status classification
  • Total base units + time units (each 15-min block)
  • Qualifying circumstances (QC) modifiers where applicable
  • Case complexity — unusual anesthetic management
  • FAIR Health 80th percentile for anesthesia CPT codes in your ZIP
  • Co-morbidities documented in pre-op assessment
NY Advantage
  • NY IDR's multi-year claim recovery window applies — there is no fixed statutory filing deadline, and fully-insured claims also carry up to a six-year CPLR § 213(2) reach for parallel breach-of-contract litigation. Review all underpaid claims back to prior years for fully insured NY plans
  • FAIR Health UCR (not QPA) is the standard — typically 2-4× higher than QPA for anesthesia codes
  • Prior rates from same payer are powerful credible information
  • No single factor is determinative — credentials + complexity + UCR all weigh equally

Brookings Institution analysis of NY IDR data identifies plastic surgeons as the single most frequent utilizer of NY state IDR. This includes both emergency/reconstructive procedures and elective procedures where the surgeon is OON at an in-network facility.

Breast Reduction (CPT 19318) — A Major Opportunity
  • Must establish medical necessity: chronic back/neck/shoulder pain, skin irritation, failed conservative treatment
  • Schnur Scale documentation (tissue removed in grams per side, correlated to BSA)
  • Pre-authorization approval letter required
  • PCP + specialist documentation of symptoms
  • DFS OON Reimbursement Examples specifically include CPT 19357 — indicating this is a frequently disputed service
  • FAIR Health 80th percentile for CPT 19318 in surgeon's ZIP code
OON Surgical Strategy Generally
  • Modifier -22 for unusually complex procedures — documents complexity from claim submission
  • Detailed operative reports are read by arbitrators
  • Board certifications, fellowship training, subspecialty credentials
  • Volume of procedures performed (demonstrates specialized expertise)
  • Outcomes data and complication rates where available
  • Case complexity: unusual anatomy, prior surgeries, intraoperative findings

Radiology and pathology groups are among the most efficient IDR filers nationally because their claims are structurally similar and highly batchable. Radiology groups in particular have found significant success in the IDR process due to claim consistency and interpretable FAIR Health benchmarks.

Key Documentation
  • CPT code specificity — ensure codes reflect actual service complexity (e.g., with vs. without contrast)
  • Subspecialty credentials (neuroradiology, musculoskeletal, interventional)
  • Academic affiliations and training
  • Interpretation quality metrics where available
  • Equipment and facility characteristics for technical component
Batching Strategy
  • Group underpaid claims against same payer for same/similar CPT codes into batched disputes
  • Single administrative fee covers entire batch
  • Federal NSA batching rules require same payer + same/similar services
  • Dramatically reduces per-claim IDR cost — makes low-value claims worth pursuing

ASC facility fees are separately disputable from physician fees. A single procedure may generate multiple eligible IDR claims: one from the surgeon, one from the anesthesiologist, and one from the facility. Each is independently arbitrable.

Facility-Specific Factors
  • Accreditation status (AAAHC, Joint Commission)
  • Scope of services and case mix
  • Geographic market and regional facility rates
  • Staffing and equipment quality
  • Prior contracted rates with same payer if previously in-network
  • Under FSL § 605(e): if previously in-network, initial payment must be at least 25% above prior contracted rate
Coordination with Physicians
  • Coordinate IDR filing timing with surgeon and anesthesiologist for same case
  • Consistent case complexity documentation benefits all parties
  • Consider joint credible information submission strategy
  • Batching available for multiple cases against same payer
Our Fee Structure

No Recovery, No Fee

We represent providers on contingency. There is no upfront cost, no retainer, and no hourly billing. Our interests are aligned with yours.

Your Upfront Cost
$0
No retainer. No hourly fees. No upfront case costs. You pay nothing to start.
Our Fee
Contingency
We earn a percentage of what we recover for you. If we don't recover, we don't get paid. We discuss the specific percentage during your free evaluation.
IDR Filing Fees
Recoverable
In most IDR disputes, the losing party pays the arbitration entity's fee. When providers win, the insurer bears this cost.

Ready to Find Out What You're Owed?

Free case evaluation. We review your claims, identify the disputes, and tell you exactly what's recoverable under NY and federal law.

Start Free Evaluation → (212) 300-3191