IDR Explorer publishes outcome benchmarks for the federal No Surprises Act independent dispute resolution (IDR) process, built directly from CMS public use files. Providers won 85.8% of 3.39 million federal IDR disputes through 2025Q4, with a median provider-won award of 4.7x the qualifying payment amount (QPA), and a median determination time of 37 days. This site exists so provider, RCM, and legal teams can compare win rates and award multiples by service code, state, payer, and specialty before deciding whether to arbitrate a claim.
The interactive explorer above covers every dispute in the CMS files. For citable static benchmarks, start with the federal IDR benchmark hub, which covers 728 service codes, 48 states, 24 payers, and 22 specialties, with every page backed by at least 500 CMS disputes. The resources library explains the process itself: eligibility, open negotiation, QPA math, and state-law routing.
Two 2026 rule changes reshape filing economics. The federal administrative fee drops from $115 to $15 per party for disputes initiated on or after June 11, 2026, and open negotiation periods starting on or after November 1, 2026 can batch up to 50 line items per dispute, up from 25. Standardized CARC and RARC remittance codes arrive January 1, 2027. The 2026 and 2027 NSA changes guide has the full timeline.
IDR Explorer is a free benchmark site for the federal No Surprises Act independent dispute resolution (IDR) process. It publishes provider win rates, award multiples versus the qualifying payment amount (QPA), and determination timelines from CMS public use files, through an interactive explorer and static benchmark pages for service codes, states, payers, and specialties.
Every number on the site comes from the CMS Federal IDR public use files, which cover 3.39 million disputes resolved from 2023Q1 through 2025Q4. The files record closed determinations only, so settlements and withdrawn disputes are not included. Pages apply minimum sample floors so small cells do not drive conclusions.
Providers won 85.8% of the 3.39 million federal IDR disputes resolved through 2025Q4, and the median provider-won award was 4.7x the QPA. Outcomes vary widely by service code, state, and payer, so check the benchmark for your specific mix before deciding whether to arbitrate.
The median determination time across all resolved disputes is 37 days. End-to-end recovery takes longer, because a 30-business-day open negotiation period must run before a dispute can be initiated, and the losing party has 30 calendar days after the determination to pay.
The federal administrative fee drops from $115 to $15 per party for disputes initiated on or after June 11, 2026, which makes smaller claims economical to arbitrate. Open negotiation periods starting on or after November 1, 2026 can batch up to 50 line items per dispute, up from 25. Standardized CARC and RARC remittance codes for No Surprises Act claims arrive January 1, 2027.
Request a free NSA audit. You describe your group's out-of-network billing, and IDR Explorer benchmarks your codes, states, and payers against the full CMS dispute record so you can see what similar claims won in arbitration.
If you bill out-of-network and want to know how your claims compare, request a free NSA audit. Data source: CMS Federal IDR public use files, 2023Q1 through 2025Q4. This site is informational, not legal or reimbursement advice.