What is “Balance Billing” (Sometimes Called “Surprise Billing”)?
When you see a health care provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, like a copayment, coinsurance, or deductible. You may have additional costs or have to pay the entire bill if you see a provider or visit a health care facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.
Surprise billing is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who is involved in your care—like when you have an emergency or when you schedule a visit at an in- network facility but are unexpectedly treated by an out-of-network provider. Surprise medical bills could cost thousands of dollars depending on the procedure or service.
Out-of-network means providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan to provide services. Out-of-network providers may be allowed to bill you for the difference between what your plan pays, and the full amount charged for a service. This is called “balance billing.” This amount is likely more than in-network costs for the same service and might not count toward your plan’s deductible or annual out-of-pocket limit.
You Are Protected from Balance Billing for the Following Services:
Emergency Services: If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of- network provider or facility, the most they can bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles). You cannot be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you are in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balanced billed for these post-stabilization services.
Certain Services at an In-Network Hospital or Ambulatory Surgical Center: When you get services from an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, certain providers there may be out-of-network. In these cases, the most those providers can bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount. This applies to emergency medicine, anesthesia, pathology, radiology, laboratory, neonatology, assistant surgeon, hospitalist, or intensivist services. These providers cannot balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed. If you get other types of services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers cannot balance bill you unless you give written consent and give up your protections.
You are never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get out- of-network care. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.
You have the Following Additional Protections When Balance Billing is Not Allowed:
- You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the copayments, coinsurance, and deductible that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay any additional costs to out-of-network providers and facilities directly.
- Generally, your health plan must:
- Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (also known as prior authorization).
- Cover emergency services by out-of-network providers.
- Base what you owe the provider or facility (cost-sharing) on what it would pay an in-network provider or facility and show that amount in your explanation of benefits.
- Count any amount you pay for emergency services or out-of-network services toward your in- network deductible and out-of-pocket limit.
If You Think You Have Been Wrongly Billed
- If you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us by reaching out to Central Maine Healthcare Patient Financial Services at (207) 795-2237.
- Contact the Maine Bureau of Insurance by calling 207-624-8475, or 1-800-300-5000 (toll free).
- Call the federal phone number for information and complaints at 1-800-985-3059 (toll free).
- Visit the website with federal protections at No Surprises Act | CMS
- Visit the Maine Legislature website for more information about your rights under Title 22: Health and Welfare, Subtitle 2: Health, Part 4: Hospitals and Medical Care, Chapter 401: General provisions