Check your medical bill for errors

On this page:

• Ask your provider’s billing department for a detailed bill
• Contact your health insurance company
• Ask your provider for a copy of your medical records
• Make sure you weren’t billed twice for the same service
• Look up medical billing codes online
• Get help from a Consumer Assistance Program or patient advocate in your state

How to check your bill for errors

Ask your provider’s billing department for a detailed bill.

Request a list of the costs for each medical item or service you’re being billed for.

Learn how to read a medical bill

Contact your health insurance company (if you used insurance when you got care).

The company might be able to fix billing errors with your health care provider.

You can also ask the company for a copy of your explanation of benefits. Make sure the “your share” amount is the same as what’s on your bill.

Ask your provider for a copy of your medical records. Compare them to your bill.

You shouldn’t get a bill for anything that isn’t documented in your records.

If you’ve been billed for something that’s not documented in your records, talk to your provider’s billing department.

Note: Some providers charge a fee to access records. Ask the billing department if there’s a records fee.

Make sure you weren’t billed twice for the same service.

Double billing is especially common if you got care from more than one provider.

Contact the billing department of each provider if you think you were double billed for a service.

Look up medical billing codes online. Compare the results to your bill.

Use a search engine to look up the medical billing code for each item on your bill. Type the code number with the term “medical billing code” and read the descriptions.

Compare the descriptions to your bill. Do the billing codes match the care you got? Contact your provider’s billing department if they don’t.

Note: Medical billing can be complicated. You may want to reach out to a patient advocate for assistance.

Get help from a Consumer Assistance Program or patient advocate in your state.

Consumer Assistance Programs may be able to help with billing issues. Reach out to a Program in the state you got care.

Patient advocates can handle medical billing issues on your behalf.

Find a Consumer Assistance Program in your state on CMS.gov

Learn how patient advocates can help