How to file a federal IDR dispute.
Open negotiation to determination — the exact steps and the clock.
Federal IDR is final-offer arbitration: each side submits one payment amount with evidence, and a certified entity picks one. Winning is as much about the sequence and the deadlines as the argument. Here is the whole process, step by step, with the clock that governs each stage.
1. Open negotiation (30 business days).
Before IDR, you must complete a 30-business-day open-negotiation period. Send the payer a written open-negotiation notice identifying the claim and your requested amount. The clock starts the day you send it.
Most disputes are still not resolved in negotiation, so treat this step as a gate to IDR rather than a place you expect to settle.
2. Initiate IDR (within 4 business days).
If negotiation fails, you have 4 business days after the 30-day window closes to initiate IDR through the federal IDR portal. Missing this window forfeits the dispute for that claim.
3. Select the IDR entity.
The parties try to agree on a certified IDR entity (IDRE). If you cannot agree within 3 business days, the Departments assign one. The IDRE confirms eligibility before proceeding.
4. Submit your offer and evidence (10 business days).
Each party submits a single payment offer and supporting information within 10 business days of IDRE selection. Because the arbiter must pick one number, the offer and its justification are the entire case: the qualifying payment amount (QPA) is the starting point, and you build around permitted factors such as the provider's training and experience, the acuity and complexity of the case, and market rates.
5. The determination (binding).
The IDRE picks one offer. There is no splitting the difference and no appeal on the merits. The losing party pays the IDRE fee; the prevailing amount is binding, and the payer must remit within 30 business days.
The deadlines and fees at a glance.
The administrative fee dropped from $115 to $15 per party, per dispute, for disputes initiated on or after June 11, 2026. From November 1, 2026, up to 50 related services can be batched into one dispute, which lowers the per-claim cost further.
- Open negotiation: 30 business days
- Initiate IDR: within 4 business days after negotiation
- Agree on an IDRE: 3 business days
- Submit offer + evidence: 10 business days
- Payer remits after a win: 30 business days
Frequently asked
How long does federal IDR take?
The formal steps run about 30 business days of negotiation, then IDRE selection and a 10-business-day offer window, with a determination typically weeks after. Groups that miss the interim deadlines lose eligibility, so tracking the clock matters as much as the argument.
How much does it cost to file an IDR dispute?
As of June 11, 2026, the administrative fee is $15 per party, per dispute (down from $115). The losing party also pays the IDR entity's fee. Batching up to 50 related services into one dispute (from November 1, 2026) reduces the per-claim cost.
What evidence wins an IDR determination?
Because it is final-offer arbitration, the offer amount and its justification are the case. Strong submissions anchor to the qualifying payment amount and then support a higher number with permitted factors: provider training and experience, case acuity and complexity, and comparable market rates.
What happens if I miss an IDR deadline?
Missing the 4-business-day window to initiate, or the 10-business-day offer window, generally forfeits the dispute — you lose by default, not on the merits. Deadline tracking is the single most avoidable reason groups lose.