What to do if you receive a large medical bill

• ✺Large unpaid medical bills can be sent to collections, which can seriously damage your credit.
• ✺Billing errors are common, and catching them can significantly reduce what you actually owe.
• ✺Financial assistance and payment plans exist specifically to help people avoid overwhelming medical debt.

1. 1Compare the bill against your EOB to check that charges and insurance payments match.
2. 2Request an itemized bill if anything is unclear or seems incorrect.
3. 3Call the billing department to question any charges that look wrong.
4. 4Ask specifically about financial assistance (charity care) programs and payment plan options.
5. 5If you think the bill violates surprise billing protections, ask the provider about it or contact your state insurance department or the No Surprises Help Desk.
6. 6Keep records of all calls, letters, and agreements in writing.

Itemized bill

A detailed, line-by-line breakdown of every charge on a medical bill.

Financial assistance / charity care

A hospital program that reduces or forgives bills for qualifying patients based on income.

No Surprises Act

A federal law protecting patients from certain unexpected out-of-network medical bills.

Payment plan

An arrangement to pay off a medical bill in installments over time, often interest-free.

Collections

A process where an unpaid debt is sent to a separate agency to try to recover payment, which can affect your credit.

• ✗Ignoring a large bill, which can lead to it being sent to collections.
• ✗Paying immediately without checking for billing errors first.
• ✗Not asking about financial assistance programs, assuming you won't qualify without checking.
• ✗Agreeing to a payment plan without getting the terms in writing.

• !Many nonprofit hospitals are required to offer financial assistance programs; eligibility is usually based on income.
• !The federal No Surprises Act protects many patients from certain unexpected out-of-network charges, particularly for emergency care.
• !You can dispute a bill or ask questions before paying — contacting the billing office rarely makes things worse and often helps.
• !Keeping all documentation (EOBs, bills, call notes) helps if you need to dispute something later.

• Compare the bill to your EOB and request an itemized bill if anything is unclear.
• Call the billing office to question charges and ask about assistance or payment plans.
• Don't ignore a bill — unpaid medical debt can go to collections and hurt your credit.
• You may have protections under the No Surprises Act for certain unexpected out-of-network charges.

Totally optional. Nobody's grading you.

1. 1.Call the billing department about any bill you haven't fully understood.
2. 2.Ask directly whether the provider offers financial assistance or payment plans.

Related lessons:

• Understanding medical bills
• How health insurance works
• What an out-of-pocket maximum is

• No Surprises Act / surprise billing protections
  Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)(opens in a new tab)
• Medical debt and your credit
  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)(opens in a new tab)