Federal IDR fee guide
IDR fees, explained simply.
Federal IDR fees include the government administrative fee and the certified IDR entity fee. The details matter because fees can change the economics of every No Surprises Act payment dispute.
Important: This is a general information site about Federal IDR fees under the No Surprises Act. It is not legal, billing, coding, tax, or compliance advice. Always check the current CMS and Federal IDR portal instructions before filing or paying fees.
Current Federal IDR fees
administrative fee
The Federal IDR administrative fee is $15 per party per dispute for disputes initiated on or after June 11, 2026.
parties
Both the initiating and non-initiating party generally need to account for IDR fees when a dispute proceeds.
entity fee
The certified IDR entity fee is separate from the administrative fee and is paid to the organization deciding the dispute.
What counts as an IDR fee?
When people search for IDR fees, they may mean several different costs: the Federal IDR administrative fee, the certified IDR entity fee, the cost of filing many disputes, or the internal cost of preparing claims, documents, offers, and follow-up.
The two official fee categories to understand first are the administrative fee and the certified IDR entity fee.
IDR fees change dispute economics
A lower administrative fee can make more disputes worth reviewing, but it does not remove the operational work. Teams still need to find eligible claims, collect EOBs, prepare open negotiation, initiate Federal IDR on time, choose or respond to a certified IDR entity, submit offers, and track determinations.
For high-volume teams, the real question is not only “what are the IDR fees?” It is “which disputes are worth the fee and operational effort?”
Quick answers for searchers
- Federal IDR administrative fee
- Certified IDR entity fee
- No Surprises Act IDR fee
- IDR filing fee
- Who pays IDR fees
- Are IDR fees refundable
- IDR batching and fees
- IDR fee examples
- Federal IDR cost per dispute
- IDR fee changes in 2026
- Are IDR fees refundable?
- IDR fees after settlement
Related IDR fee guides
Current Federal IDR fees
Administrative fees, certified IDR entity fees, and what changed in 2026.
Federal IDR administrative fee
What the government administrative fee is, who pays it, and when it matters.
Certified IDR entity fees
The separate fee paid to the certified IDR entity that decides the dispute.
Who pays IDR fees?
How payment responsibility works and what happens when one side prevails.
Batching and IDR fees
Why batching can change the economics of filing Federal IDR disputes.
IDR fee examples
Simple scenarios for estimating administrative and entity fee exposure.
Refunds and settlements
What to consider when parties settle or ask whether IDR fees are refundable.
Official resources
Use official sources for current Federal IDR fee amounts, certified IDR entity fees, portal instructions, deadlines, and dispute rules. This site is informational and may not reflect every later CMS update.
Managing fees is only one part of the IDR workflow
Federal IDR fees affect dispute economics, but teams also need to track open negotiation windows, initiation deadlines, certified IDR entity selection, evidence, offers, determinations, and payment follow-up.
For teams handling recurring IDR volume, see IDR claims processing automation.
FAQ
What are IDR fees?
IDR fees are the costs associated with using the Federal Independent Dispute Resolution process under the No Surprises Act. They include a government administrative fee and a separate certified IDR entity fee.
What is the current Federal IDR administrative fee?
The Federal IDR administrative fee is $15 per party per dispute for disputes initiated on or after June 11, 2026, according to the 2026 Federal IDR operations rule summarized by CMS-related guidance.
Are certified IDR entity fees separate?
Yes. Certified IDR entity fees are separate from the Federal IDR administrative fee. They are paid to the certified IDR entity that manages and decides the dispute.
Who pays IDR fees?
Both parties generally pay the administrative fee. Certified IDR entity fee responsibility can depend on the outcome of the dispute and current rules, so parties should check official instructions before filing.
Why do IDR fees matter?
IDR fees affect whether a dispute is economically worth pursuing, especially for lower-dollar claims. Teams should compare expected recovery, administrative fees, entity fees, batching options, and internal operating cost.
Are IDR fees refundable?
IDR fee refund rules depend on the fee type, timing, settlement status, dispute outcome, and current Federal IDR instructions. Parties should check CMS, the Federal IDR portal, and certified IDR entity fee policies before assuming a fee will be refunded.
What happens to IDR fees if the parties settle?
CMS says parties that agree on an out-of-network rate after initiating Federal IDR but before a determination must notify the certified IDR entity and the Departments. The notice should include how the parties agree to pay the certified IDR entity fee if they do not split it evenly.