FREE FIVE-MINUTE BILL CHECK

Before you pay: seven things to check on a hospital bill.

No sign-in. No medical records. No cost.

A medical bill can be confusing even when the charges are correct. This checklist helps you identify questions worth asking your hospital, physician group or insurer before you decide what to do next. It does not determine whether a bill is legally valid or pause a payment deadline.

Your checklist stays in your browser. Nothing you check here is submitted or stored by BillFight. You can print the page for your own records.

1. 01Is this the amount I actually owe?Compare the hospital statement with your insurance Explanation of Benefits, if you used insurance. The hospital charge, insurance allowed amount, and your responsibility can be very different numbers.
2. 02Do the patient, dates, and location match?Review the dates of service and the provider or facility name. Ask the billing department to explain anything unfamiliar.
3. 03Do the quantities make sense?Review repeated lines and quantities, but remember some services legitimately recur. Ask for clarification before assuming an error.
4. 04Were insurance and earlier payments recorded?Compare insurer payments, adjustments, refunds and any prior payments against the latest balance.
5. 05Was there an unexpected facility fee?Ask which facility resources and services the fee covers, and whether a professional fee was billed separately.
6. 06Have I requested an itemized statement?You can ask the billing office for a more detailed statement that makes individual charges easier to review.
7. 07Have I saved the evidence and deadlines?Keep a copy of your bill, Explanation of Benefits, estimates, correspondence, reference numbers and any appeal or payment deadlines.