Free tool
Get a Good Faith Estimate
If you are paying cash, providers must give you a written cost estimate. Use this letter to ask for one, and know your rights if the bill is higher.
If your bill is $400 or more over the estimate
If you are uninsured or self-pay, got a Good Faith Estimate, and your bill is at least $400 more than the estimate (for any one provider or facility), you can use the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process.
- Start the dispute within 120 calendar days of the date on the first bill.
- File through the CMS No Surprises site (cms.gov/nosurprises) or call 1-800-985-3059. There is a small administrative fee (currently $25).
- Keep paying nothing extra while the dispute is open: the provider may not send the disputed amount to collections during the process.
- An independent reviewer decides what you owe, based on the estimate and whether the extra charges were justified.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees can change; check cms.gov for the current process.