Know your Medical Bill of Rights

The No Surprises Act protects people who use private insurance or don't have or use insurance

The No Surprises Act is a federal law that went into effect on January 1, 2022.

It protects people in the United States who:

  • Use most types of private health insurance
  • Don't use health insurance
  • Don’t have health insurance
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Read about your rights

There are different rights when you use health insurance and when you don't

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Using insurance

Your rights when you use most types of health insurance

In most cases, the No Surprises Act protects you from unexpected out-of-network bills from: emergency room visits; non-emergency care related to visits at in-network hospitals, hospital outpatient departments, and ambulatory surgical centers; and air ambulance services.

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Not using insurance

Your rights when you don’t have or don't use health insurance

Usually, providers must give you a good faith estimate of how much your care will cost. You may be able to dispute your bill if it’s at least $400 more than the estimate.

Exceptions

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Ground ambulance services

Generally, ground ambulance services aren't covered by billing protections in the No Surprises Act (unless a state law has different rules). They're still allowed to charge out-of-network rates.

Learn what you can do if you get an out-of-network ground ambulance bill.

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Vision-only and dental-only insurance

These balance billing protections generally don’t apply to vision-only and dental-only insurance plans, but they may apply if vision or dental benefits are included in your health plan.

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Short-term limited duration and health care sharing ministry plans

Services covered by these plans aren't subject to the billing protections of the No Surprises Act.

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Fixed indemnity excepted benefits plans, like hospital indemnity insurance

Services covered by these plans aren't part of the billing protections of the No Surprises Act.

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Do you use Medicare, Medicaid, Indian Health Services, Veterans Affairs Health Care, or TRICARE?

These plans already protect you from some unexpected out-of-network bills.

But if you have a billing issue, we can help. Answer a few questions, and we’ll find an action plan that works for you.

Find an action plan

 

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Page Last Modified:
08/18/2026 01:59 PM