I received a medical bill I cannot afford to pay

What can I do about my expensive medical bill?

First, check your bill to make sure it is correct:

• Verify the name and address on the bill. Is this your bill? If it is, review the bill carefully. 
• Be sure your bill lists the details of all charges. If not, request an “itemized bill” from the health care facility and/or the providers who treated you.
• Check the list of charges and make sure you recognize all the types of care on the bill. Billing departments and insurance companies can make mistakes, so follow up if something does not look right. 
• If you do not understand your bill, call the billing office or your health insurance plan to ask questions.

If you call your health insurance plan or a billing office

Keep notes of your conversation: include the date, time, name of the person you’re speaking with, and what they tell you. Save all bills and documents from your provider and health insurance plan, and keep them together in the same, easy-to-find place.

DID YOU KNOW? Many hospitals provide financial assistance to patients who cannot afford to pay for their care. Before you pay for anything, ask if you are eligible for a free or discounted care program. DO NOT sign up for a medical credit card or a medical loan. 

What should I do if the medical bill looks incorrect? 

Providers and insurance companies can make mistakes when billing patients. That means you could get billed more than you should. Here are some common types of mistakes on medical bills. 

Improper charges for services or medicines you did not receive

This error can happen to anyone. Call the billing office to tell them and report the errors to your health insurance plan. Make sure to call the phone number on the back of your health plan’s insurance card and ask to speak with their “fraud department” to dispute the charges included in your bill.

Insured patients may encounter other common errors — including, but not limited, to billing errors, improper claim denials, and illegal “surprise medical bills”

Are you unsure about a bill?

If you think you’ve been sent a bill you should not have to pay, and can’t get your health insurance plan or the health care provider to fix it, file a complaint with your state attorney general’s office. Your local legal aid office may be able to help as well.

How do I fight an illegal, out-of-network “surprise medical bill”? 

For detailed information on how to fight an out-of-network “surprise medical bill,” see Guides 1 and 2. 

The No Surprises Act protects people with health care insurance from extra charges from certain out-of-network providers in particular situations. 

You should never receive a surprise out-of-network bill if:

• You receive medical care at an emergency room (E.R.)
• You are transported by air ambulance (airplane or helicopter)
• You receive scheduled care at health care facilities in your health insurance plan’s network.

In these situations, you should only pay what you would normally pay as a copay, coinsurance, or toward your deductible. The out-of-network provider cannot send an additional bill.

If you have received an illegal, “surprise medical bill” from an out-of-network provider, follow these steps:

STEP ONE: If you have received an illegal, “surprise medical bill” from an out-of-network provider, immediately notify your health insurance plan. If your health insurance plan does not resolve the situation for you, contact the provider who sent the bill and tell them they have sent you an illegal, “surprise medical bill.”

STEP TWO: If the provider still demands payment, file a complaint at the government’s No Surprises Help Desk or call 1-800-985-3059. Language support is available if you need help filing your complaint.

STEP THREE: Check your credit report to make sure your bill was not sent to collections. It should NOT be listed on your credit report. Here is how to check. 

What if I already owe my hospital money? Can I still get care? 

If you need emergency care, any hospital must accept you as a patient and treat you for that emergency — even if you have a bill that you haven’t paid.

However, if you do not need emergency care, a provider may refuse to treat you if you have an outstanding bill with them.