Arbitrator iMPROve Health Reports 70 Percent Profit
The nonprofit surged to profitability by 2025 following a massive increase in federal medical billing disputes.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Healthcare
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Nonprofit arbitrator iMPROve Health achieved a 70% profit margin by 2025, marking a sharp turnaround after the organization reported losses exceeding $2 million in 2022. The company saw its revenue grow 13-fold as the volume of medical payment disputes surged nationwide.
Why it matters
The dramatic growth for arbitrators follows a massive influx of billing disputes under the No Surprises Act, raising concerns that insurers and employers may pass rising administrative costs to households through higher premiums. Federal regulators recently met with certified firms to discuss the impact of these surging system costs.
iMPROve Health revenue has grown 13-fold since 2022, while providers secured an 88% win rate in 1.2 million disputes filed during the first half of 2025. CMS has closed over 7 million disputes since the system began operating in April 2022.
The players
iMPROve Health
This Michigan-based nonprofit organization serves as a certified arbitrator for federal medical billing payment disputes.
CMS
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency responsible for overseeing the administration of the No Surprises Act.
The details
Arbitrators in the system pick one side's offer in payment disputes between providers and insurers, with the losing party required to pay the arbitrator's fee. To capture this growth, iMPROve Health cut its budget and shifted to a fully remote operation, while four large provider groups were responsible for filing 56% of all disputes in early 2025.
Timeline
iMPROve Health lost over $2 million in 2022.
The federal system began closing disputes in April 2022.
A federal rule set the administrative fee at $115 per party in 2023.
The administrative fee dropped to $15 per party on June 11, 2026.
CMS met with certified arbitrators on October 1, 2026.
Market Landscape
The rapid expansion of arbitration firms follows the implementation of the No Surprises Act, which triggered a massive volume of payment disputes between providers and insurers. This shift has forced regulators to evaluate how administrative costs within the system affect overall healthcare spending.
Consumers may ultimately bear the cost of this arbitration surge as insurers and employers potentially increase premiums to cover rising administrative expenses. Patients should remain aware that these billing disputes are an increasingly common component of the broader medical insurance landscape.
The takeaway
The surge in billing disputes highlights an unforeseen administrative burden following federal legislative changes. Households should carefully review medical bills, as the dispute process remains a primary driver of current healthcare operational costs.
Further reading
For broader context on current industry trends, visit the Healthcare section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Medical Daily.
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