Medical bill errors and your rights, state by state
Medical billing rules come from both your state and the federal government. These guides explain, state by state, what the law says about itemized bills, financial assistance, surprise bills, and debt collection — and the practical steps you can take to check a hospital bill and push back on charges that look wrong.
Practical guides
- How to read an itemized medical billAn itemized bill lists each service or supply, its date, charge, and any payments or adjustments. Use it to check what was billed before deciding whether to question a charge.
- How to compare a medical bill with an EOBYour insurer’s Explanation of Benefits (EOB) explains how it processed a claim; it is not a bill. Compare its patient balance with the provider’s bill for the same claim.
- How to question a suspected medical billing errorGather the bill, EOB if insured, receipts, and notes before contacting the provider. Describe the exact line or amount you question and request a written explanation or correction.
Choose your state
- AlaskaFederal rules and billing questions for Alaska; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- AlabamaFederal rules and billing questions for Alabama; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- ArkansasFederal rules and billing questions for Arkansas; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- ArizonaFederal rules and billing questions for Arizona; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- CaliforniaFederal rules and billing questions for California; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- ColoradoFederal rules and billing questions for Colorado; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- ConnecticutFederal rules and billing questions for Connecticut; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- District of ColumbiaFederal rules and billing questions for District of Columbia; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- DelawareFederal rules and billing questions for Delaware; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- FloridaFederal rules and billing questions for Florida; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- GeorgiaFederal rules and billing questions for Georgia; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- HawaiiFederal rules and billing questions for Hawaii; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- IowaFederal rules and billing questions for Iowa; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- IdahoFederal rules and billing questions for Idaho; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- IllinoisFederal rules and billing questions for Illinois; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- IndianaFederal rules and billing questions for Indiana; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- KansasFederal rules and billing questions for Kansas; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- KentuckyFederal rules and billing questions for Kentucky; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- LouisianaFederal rules and billing questions for Louisiana; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MassachusettsFederal rules and billing questions for Massachusetts; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MarylandFederal rules and billing questions for Maryland; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MaineFederal rules and billing questions for Maine; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MichiganFederal rules and billing questions for Michigan; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MinnesotaFederal rules and billing questions for Minnesota; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MissouriFederal rules and billing questions for Missouri; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MississippiFederal rules and billing questions for Mississippi; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- MontanaFederal rules and billing questions for Montana; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- North CarolinaFederal rules and billing questions for North Carolina; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- North DakotaFederal rules and billing questions for North Dakota; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- NebraskaFederal rules and billing questions for Nebraska; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- New HampshireFederal rules and billing questions for New Hampshire; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- New JerseyFederal rules and billing questions for New Jersey; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- New MexicoFederal rules and billing questions for New Mexico; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- NevadaFederal rules and billing questions for Nevada; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- New YorkFederal rules and billing questions for New York; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- OhioFederal rules and billing questions for Ohio; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- OklahomaFederal rules and billing questions for Oklahoma; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- OregonFederal rules and billing questions for Oregon; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- PennsylvaniaFederal rules and billing questions for Pennsylvania; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- Rhode IslandFederal rules and billing questions for Rhode Island; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- South CarolinaFederal rules and billing questions for South Carolina; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- South DakotaFederal rules and billing questions for South Dakota; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- TennesseeFederal rules and billing questions for Tennessee; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- TexasFederal rules and billing questions for Texas; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- UtahFederal rules and billing questions for Utah; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- VirginiaFederal rules and billing questions for Virginia; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- VermontFederal rules and billing questions for Vermont; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- WashingtonFederal rules and billing questions for Washington; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- WisconsinFederal rules and billing questions for Wisconsin; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- West VirginiaFederal rules and billing questions for West Virginia; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
- WyomingFederal rules and billing questions for Wyoming; no state-specific billing claim has been verified for this guide.
New to medical billing errors? Start with our plain-English glossary of common billing errors to learn what to look for on your bill.
Want to see what your bill actually says?
The scan is free. We check every line against federal billing rules and show you, in plain English, what looks wrong — before you decide whether to dispute anything.