How No Surprises Act arbitration became a health care cash cow

Before it won a lucrative government contract, iMPROve Health’s very future was in question.

The Michigan-based nonprofit lost over $2 million in 2022 alone — over a third of its revenue — on top of losses in previous years. There were budget cuts; it ditched the office, went remote, and even discussed selling the company.

“We had conversations about, ‘Should we merge and be an organization that someone acquires?’ We had those conversations,” said Richard Murdock, a former iMPROve board member.

Three years later, iMPROve boasts a 70% profit margin, almost as high as that of tech giant Nvidia. Its revenue has grown 13-fold. The turnaround is thanks to the company’s new government-backed role: picking winners in high-stakes payment disputes between health care providers and health insurers.

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