The No Surprises Act, in plain language

Since January 1, 2022, the federal No Surprises Act has protected many people from surprise medical bills.

It generally covers

• Emergency care, even from out-of-network providers or facilities
• Certain non-emergency care from out-of-network providers at an in-network hospital or surgery center
• Air ambulance services from out-of-network providers (ground ambulance isn't covered by the federal law, though some states protect it)

In these cases you usually owe only your in-network cost-sharing.

If you're uninsured or self-pay

You have the right to a Good Faith Estimate before scheduled care. If your bill is at least $400 more than the estimate, you may be able to dispute it through the federal patient-provider dispute resolution process. There's a deadline (generally 120 days from the date on the bill), so check CMS right away.

Free help

The No Surprises Help Desk is at 1-800-985-3059.

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General information, not legal advice.