When you get emergency care or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital or ambulatory surgical center, you are protected from balance billing, sometimes called surprise billing.

What is Balance Billing?

When you see a doctor or other healthcare provider, you may owe certain out-of-pocket costs, such as a co-payment, co-insurance and/or a deductible. You may have other costs or have to pay the entire billing statement if you see a provider or visit a healthcare facility that isn’t in your health plan’s network.

“Out-of-network” describes providers and facilities that haven’t signed a contract with your health plan. Out-of-network providers may be allowed to bill you for the difference between what your plan agreed to pay 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 annual out-of-pocket limit.

“Surprise billing” is an unexpected balance bill. This can happen when you can’t control who's 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.
 
You are protected from balance billing for:

Emergency Services

If you have an emergency medical condition and get emergency services from an out-of-network provider or facility, the most the provider or facility may bill you is your plan’s in-network cost-sharing amount (such as co-payments and co-insurance).

You can’t be balance billed for these emergency services. This includes services you may get after you’re in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections not to be balance billed for these post-stabilization services.

California law protects enrollees in state-regulated plans from surprise medical bills when an enrollee receives emergency services from a doctor or hospital that is not contracted with the patient’s health plan or medical group. In covered circumstances, providers cannot bill consumers more than their in-network cost sharing.

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 may 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 can’t balance bill you and may not ask you to give up your protections not to be balance billed.

If you get other services at these in-network facilities, out-of-network providers can’t balance bill you, unless you give written consent and give up your protections.

You’re never required to give up your protections from balance billing. You also aren’t required to get care out-of-network. You can choose a provider or facility in your plan’s network.

California law protects enrollees in state-regulated plans from surprise medical bills when an enrollee receives scheduled care at an in-network facility such as a hospital, lab, or imaging center, but services are delivered by an out-of-network provider. In covered circumstances, providers cannot bill consumers more than their in-network cost sharing. Further, for uninsured individuals, hospitals must provide the patient with a written estimate of the amount the hospital will require for the expected services at the time of service.

When balance billing isn’t allowed, you also have the following protections:

You are only responsible for paying your share of the cost (like the co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles that you would pay if the provider or facility was in-network). Your health plan will pay out-of-network providers and facilities directly.

Your health plan generally must:
 

• Cover emergency services without requiring you to get approval for services in advance (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 deductible and out-of-pocket limit.

What to Do if You’ve Been Wrongly Billed

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, you may contact 1 (888) 466-2219 for enforcement issues related to state-regulated plans or 1 (800) 985-3059 for enforcement issues related to federally regulated plans.

Visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises for more information about your rights under federal law.

Visit www.HealthHelp.ca.gov for more information about your rights under state law.

Download the No Surprises Act