"Overall, the Final Rule is intended to streamline dispute processing, reduce ineligible claims, and ensure faster and more consistent payment determinations, although ... it will take some time for these changes to provide any meaningful relief to the overly strained IDR process, if at all.... The Final Rule includes a number of different applicability dates for the various changes, which are noted below. The Final Rule applies to plans, issuers, and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) carriers and their plans (collectively, plans and issuers)."  MORE >>