Americans are still getting surprise medical bills, despite new protections in place

Despite a federal ban on balance billing (those expensive bills from out-of-network providers), as many as 1 in 5 Americans are still receiving surprise medical bills.

“We fought hard for patient protections from out-of-network care that we can’t avoid, or didn’t know we were getting,” said Patricia Kelmar, U.S. PIRG’s health care campaigns director. “It’s infuriating to know that some providers are still sending those now illegal bills.” 

Just because you receive this type of bill doesn’t mean you need to pay it. Take a minute to learn your protections from out-of-network charges for emergency services, air ambulance transportation and most services at your in-network hospital. If you get an illegal bill, contest it with your provider AND report it to https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059. If you’ve ever received a surprise bill, we’d love to hear your story. Please tell us here. 

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash