No Surprises Act surprise bill checker
See if No Surprises Act protections may apply to your ER or facility bill.
The No Surprises Act limits many surprise out-of-network bills for emergency services and certain facility-based care at in-network hospitals. Answer a few questions about where you were treated and whether you received a consent form. This is not legal advice; state law and plan type still matter.
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- No login required
- Export & print
Was this emergency care (ER, urgent stabilizing treatment, or air ambulance)?
Was the hospital or facility in-network on your plan?
Did you sign a form agreeing to out-of-network charges before non-emergency care?
Answer the questions about where you were treated. Protections depend on plan type, date of service, and whether proper notice was given.
Complete guide
How to use Surprise bills in your appeal workflow
How it works
- Answer emergency, in-network facility, and consent questions about your encounter.
- See whether federal surprise billing protections may limit your share.
- Open the No Surprises Act letter tool when protections likely apply.
No Surprises Act basics
Federal surprise billing protections limit patient cost sharing for many emergency services and certain post-stabilization services at out-of-network facilities, and for air ambulance. Ground ambulance is often excluded. State law may add protections.
Good faith estimate disputes
Uninsured and self-pay patients may dispute charges that exceed good faith estimates by at least $400 in certain settings. That pathway is separate from insurance appeals but uses similar documentation habits.
If protections apply
Use the No Surprises Act generator for dispute language, keep EOBs showing incorrect OON cost sharing, and file through the plan and provider billing office as directed.
Worked example: estimating a 180-day internal window
Your commercial plan sends an adverse benefit determination dated March 15, 2026 denying physical therapy as not medically necessary. The notice says you may request an internal appeal within 180 days. Adding 180 calendar days to March 15 lands on September 11, 2026 (verify with your plan — some policies use business days or a fixed date on the form). If you need continued care while waiting, ask whether the plan offers an expedited review and document any worsening symptoms. If the internal appeal is upheld, the same notice often explains whether you may request external review and which state or federal program applies. Save portal uploads, fax confirmations, and certified mail receipts.
Appeal deadlines by plan type (reference)
Deadlines are plan-specific. The table summarizes common federal frameworks cited on many notices. Your adverse benefit determination letter controls filing dates and channels.
| Plan type | Internal appeal | External review | Urgent / expedited |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACA marketplace / fully insured individual & small group | Often 60–180 days from the adverse determination (check notice). ACA internal claims and appeals rules require written notice of rights. | After exhausting internal appeals, many enrollees may request external review; federal rules set minimum external review rights for qualifying plans (see 45 CFR 147.136). | Urgent medical situations may qualify for expedited review; many plans must respond within 72 hours when delay could seriously jeopardize health (45 CFR 147.136(b)(3) framework). |
| Self-funded employer plan (ERISA) | 29 CFR 2560.503-1 requires a reasonable opportunity for a full and fair review; many plans allow about 180 days to request review of an adverse benefit determination unless the plan document grants longer. | External review rights depend on plan design and state law for insured portions; many ERISA plans use independent review vendors after internal exhaustion. | Expedited review must be available when the timeframe for a standard review could seriously jeopardize life or health (29 CFR 2560.503-1(h)(3)(i)). |
| Original Medicare (Part A & B) | Medicare uses redetermination (Level 1) by the Medicare Administrative Contractor — typically 120 days from the date of the initial determination on the MSN. | Reconsideration (Level 2), ALJ hearing, and further levels follow CMS Medicare appeals guidance — not the same clocks as commercial insurance. | Expedited Medicare determinations exist for certain hospital and SNF situations; follow instructions on the MSN. |
| Medicare Advantage (Part C) | Organization determination and plan-level appeals follow CMS Medicare Advantage rules; use the plan's forms and clocks on the denial. | After plan-level appeals, enrollees may request CMS review or, for some issues, state external review when applicable. | Part C plans must offer expedited reviews for urgent requests per CMS marketing/appeals requirements. |
| Medicare Part D (prescription drugs) | Coverage determinations and exceptions use PBM/plan Part D forms; standard determination timeframes are set in CMS Part D regulations. | Appeal to the Independent Review Entity (IRE) after plan-level denial of a standard or expedited determination. | Expedited exceptions and appeals exist when waiting could seriously harm health; request expedited processing in writing. |
| Medicaid / CHIP (state) | Each state Medicaid agency sets fair hearing and appeal timelines; use the notice from your managed care plan or state agency. | State fair hearing after managed care appeal exhaustion; timelines vary by state and benefit type. | Many states allow expedited hearings when delay would jeopardize health; cite urgency on the request form. |
Cite 29 CFR 2560.503-1 for many ERISA group health plans and 45 CFR 147.136 for many non-grandfathered individual/small group plans. Medicare and Medicaid use separate statutes and forms.
Common mistakes
- Treating an illustrative calculator result as a legal deadline without reading your notice.
- Filing with the medical claims address when the denial is a pharmacy benefit determination.
- Skipping the internal appeal and going straight to external review before the notice allows it.
What to do next
- Save proof of filing (portal screenshot, fax confirmation, or certified mail receipt).
- If the plan requests more records, respond within the timeframe on the follow-up letter.
- When internal appeals are exhausted, read your notice for external review or state complaint rights.
- Need deadlines, evidence lists, and filing checklists in one download? Consider the matching AppealFlow pack on the pricing page (document prep only).
- Matching paid document pack
- General appeal letter generator
- Denial code lookup