Questions & answers · Health insurance
I have insurance and got a surprise out-of-network bill. Where can I complain?
Health insuranceAppealChecked Nov 5, 2026
From K.Actuary, founded by Sangmin Kwon, ASA · sources checked 2026-11-05 · Source: Dispute a medical bill · FAQ › What do I do if I don't qualify View original ↗
In short
- If you have insurance, you can file a complaint with the No Surprises Help Desk.
- Call 1-800-985-3059.
- If your plan refused to pay, you can also appeal through your plan.
What this means
If you used health insurance, you can't use the patient-provider dispute process [1]. Instead, CMS says to submit a complaint if you got care on or after January 1, 2022, and one of these is true [1]: • You got an out-of-network bill for an emergency room visit or a visit to an in-network facility. • You already paid more than in-network rates for that kind of visit. • Your provider didn't follow the notice and consent rules.
Your insurer may have refused to pay part or all of a claim. If you think that breaks the No Surprises Act, appeal the bill. Follow the steps in your plan's documents and denial notices [1]. For help with a complaint or your next steps, call the No Surprises Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 [2]. If they need more information, they will contact you within 60 days [2].
Where this comes from (2)
[1] Dispute a medical bill · FAQ › What do I do if I don't qualify · checked 2026-11-05
If you used health insurance, you don't qualify to dispute a bill. You should submit a complaint if you received care on or after January 1, 2022, and: You received an out-of-network bill for a visit to the emergency room or an in-network facility, You already paid more than in-network rates for a visit to the emergency room or an in-network facility, or Your provider didn't follow the rules around notice and consent…
[2] Submit a provider or insurer complaint · What to expect · What happens next · page last modified 11/02/2026 · checked 2026-11-05
Call the Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 to get help submitting your complaint or to find out your next steps. … If we need more information, we’ll get in touch within 60 days using your preferred contact method.
How we found this
We matched your question to 2 official sources, quoted the exact lines, and re-checked each quote against its source on 2026-11-05.
What we don’t know yet
Your own plan or notice may say something different. If your letter cites another rule, send it and we will look again.
Every answer is checked against the official rule it quotes.
Information only — not legal advice. Your plan, insurer or agency decides.
This answer quotes the official sources listed above, with the date we checked them. Your own policy, notice and state rules control. We are not your lawyer or your insurer. We don’t file, argue or negotiate claims for you — you send any letter or form yourself.
Related answers
- Original Medicare denied my claim. What are the appeal steps and deadlines?
- My health plan dropped my medication from its formulary. How do I get an exception?
- My marketplace plan denied an out-of-network specialist visit. Can I appeal?
- My health insurer (for example UnitedHealthcare) denied my in-network hospital claim. How do I appeal?
Answer id FED22. Spotted an error? Tell us.