CHAFA Industry Resources
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services No Surprises Act
Ending Surprise Medical Bills
See how new rules help protect people from surprise medical bills and remove consumers from payment disputes between a provider or health care facility and their health plan
Explainers for Consumers
The following resources can help consumers understand their new protections:
- Rights Against Surprise Medical Bills: A resource to help insured and uninsured consumers understand surprise medical bills and their new protections under the No Surprises Act. No Surprises: Understand your rights against surprise medical bills.
- No Surprises Act: Health Insurance Terms. A list of health insurance terms to help consumers understand the No Surprises Act. Health Insurance Terms You Should Know.
- A Good Faith Estimate: A resource to help consumers understand the good faith estimate and their rights related to the good faith estimate. What’s a Good Faith Estimate?
- Reading a Medical Bill: A resource that consumers can use to understand their medical bills and how they differ from Explanation of Benefits documents. How do I Read my Medical Bill?
- Health Care Notice and Consent Forms: A high-level summary to help consumers understand notice and consent forms and their rights around these forms. Health care Notice & Consent form – What to Know Before you Sign.
Complaints about medical billing
Starting in 2022, insurance companies and plans, providers, and health care facilities must follow new rules that protect consumers from surprise medical bills. If you have a question about these rules or believe the rules aren’t being followed, contact the No Surprises Help Desk at 1-800-985-3059 to submit your question or a complaint. Or, you can submit a complaint online, below. We may ask you to provide supporting documentation like medical bills and your Explanation of Benefits. We’ll send a confirmation email when we receive your complaint to notify you of next steps and let you know if we need any additional information. To check on the status of a complaint, or to see what documentation is needed, contact the No Surprises Help Desk.
Filing complaints about a doctor, hospital, or provider
You may have a complaint about improper care (like claims of abuse to a nursing home resident) or unsafe conditions (like water damage or fire safety concerns). To file a complaint about improper care or unsafe conditions in a hospital, home health agency, hospice, or nursing home, contact your State Survey Agency. The State Survey Agency is usually part of your State’s department of health services.
To file a complaint about conditions at a hospital (like rooms being too hot or cold, cold food, or poor housekeeping) contact your State’s department of health services.
To file a complaint about your doctor (like unprofessional conduct, incompetent practice, or licensing questions), contact your State medical board.
