Help with your own medical bills
You got a bill for your own care, or your family's, and something doesn't add up. Start with these guides.
Understand your bill
- Facility fees: what they are and when to push backA facility fee is the hospital's charge for its part of an outpatient visit. Learn why it can raise your cost, how to ask first, and when to question it.
- How long can a hospital wait to bill you?Got a hospital bill months after your care? See which time limits apply, what happens when a claim is filed late, and what to check before you pay it.
- How to read a medical bill (and check it against your EOB)Learn each part of a medical bill and your EOB, what billing codes mean, and why 1 visit brings several bills. Then check what you owe before you pay.
- How to read a Medicare Summary NoticeYour Medicare Summary Notice isn't a bill. Learn what each column means, how to check it against your provider's bill, and how to appeal by the deadline.
- Medical bill vs. EOB: how to compare them line by lineYour bill and your EOB should tell the same story. Here's how to compare them in 20 minutes, with a worked example and what to do if they don't match.
- Why is my medical bill higher than my EOB?Your bill asks for more than your EOB says you owe? See the usual reasons, a worked example, and the steps to get a corrected bill before you pay.
Lower your medical bill
- 12 common medical billing errors and how to spot themDuplicate charges, wrong codes, missing insurance discounts, and more. Use this checklist of 12 common medical billing errors, then learn how to fix them.
- Bills after surgery: facility, surgeon, anesthesia, and moreSurgery often brings 4 or more bills. Learn who sends each one, what the law protects, and how to check every bill against your EOB before you pay.
- Charged twice? How to find and remove duplicate chargesCharged twice for the same thing? Learn how to tell a true duplicate from a correct repeat, what code 18 on your EOB means, and how to get it removed.
- Emergency room bills: check it, fix it, lower itAn ER visit can bring 3 or 4 bills. See what each covers, which federal rules protect you, and how to check and lower an ER bill that seems too high.
- Hospital charity care: do you qualify and how to applyHospital charity care can lower or cover your bill. See who qualifies, the 2026 poverty guidelines, your rights at nonprofit hospitals, and how to apply.
- Hospital stay bills: ICU, heart attack, strokeA hospital stay brings a hospital bill plus bills from doctors you may not remember. Here's what each covers, your rights, and how to check every bill.
- How to dispute a medical bill: steps and letter templateThink your medical bill is wrong? Here's how to dispute it: what to check, what to say, what to put in a letter, and where to turn if you're stuck.
- How to get an itemized hospital bill (script and letter)Your hospital bill shows only totals? Here's how to get an itemized bill, with a phone script, a short letter, your rights, and what to check first.
- How to lower your medical bills: the complete guideLower a medical bill in the right order: check for errors, fix insurance problems, then ask for charity care, discounts, and an interest-free payment plan.
- How to negotiate a hospital bill (what to say, what to ask for)Learn how to negotiate a hospital bill: what to check first, what to ask for, how to use the hospital's own posted prices, and a script you can use today.
- Medical bill advocates: what they do, what they costA medical bill advocate can check bills, call insurers, and negotiate for you. Learn how they charge, how to vet one, and the free help to try first.
Insurance claims and appeals
- Charged for a screening colonoscopy? Why and how to fix itA screening colonoscopy should usually cost $0. Learn what it costs, why it gets billed as diagnostic, and how to get your provider and plan to fix it.
- Denial codes on your EOB, explainedWhat do CO-45, PR-1, and CO-16 mean? Look up common claim denial codes, learn who's responsible for each amount, and see what to do about each one.
- Does the No Surprises Act apply to my bill?The No Surprises Act limits many surprise out-of-network bills. See when it applies, what it doesn't cover, and what to do if you get a surprise bill.
- How to appeal a health insurance denialA denied claim isn't the final word. Learn how to appeal an insurance denial, from internal appeal to external review, with deadlines for each plan type.
- Insurance didn't pay my medical bill: what to do nextInsurance didn't pay your medical bill? Find out why, match the denial code to the fix, and learn when to ask for a rebill and when to file an appeal.
- Internal appeal vs. external review: which comes whenAn external review lets an outside reviewer decide your health insurance denial. Learn when you can ask, your 4-month deadline, and how the decision works.
- Out-of-network anesthesia at an in-network hospitalGot an out-of-network anesthesia bill after care at an in-network hospital? Federal law usually limits you to your in-network share. Here's what to do.
- Prior authorization denied: what to do nextPrior authorization denied? Learn why it happens, how your doctor can resubmit or ask for a peer-to-peer review, and how to appeal before your deadline.
Avoid surprise bills
- Good faith estimates and the $400 dispute rulePaying for care yourself? See what a good faith estimate must show, and how to dispute a bill that's $400 or more above it within 120 days of the bill.
- How to avoid surprise medical billsMost surprise medical bills can be prevented. Use this routine before care: check networks, get approval and a price estimate, and know your rights.
- How to choose a health insurance plan and avoid big billsCompare health plans by total yearly cost, not just the premium. Check networks, doctors, drugs and the SBC, with a worked example and 2027 deadlines.
- How to confirm a doctor is in-network (and keep proof)Check your plan's directory, call to confirm, and save proof for each provider. If the directory was wrong, federal law can limit what you owe.
Can't afford a medical bill
- Can't afford your medical bills? Every option, in orderCan't afford a medical bill? Here's every option in order, from checking the bill and charity care to payment plans, collections rights and your credit.
- Interest-free medical payment plans: how to askHow to ask for an interest-free medical bill payment plan: a phone script, how to pick a monthly amount, and what to get in writing before you agree.
- Medical bill in collections: your rightsA medical bill in collections isn't the end of the road. Learn your rights, how to dispute the debt, and how to ask for help or a plan you can afford.
- Medical debt and your credit report: current rulesDo medical bills affect your credit? Here are the credit reporting rules as of September 2026, how to check your reports free, and how to dispute an error.
- What happens if you don't pay a medical bill?What happens if you don't pay medical bills? Here's the calm, step-by-step timeline, from reminders to collections and credit, and what to do instead.