Surprise Bill

Billing term

Definition

An unexpected medical bill from an out-of-network provider that a patient did not choose, such as an out-of-network anesthesiologist at an in-network hospital. The No Surprises Act now protects patients from most surprise bills by limiting what they can be charged to in-network cost-sharing amounts.

Related Terms

  • CPT Code

    Current Procedural Terminology code — a standardized 5-digit numeric code used t...

  • ICD-10 Code

    International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision — a standardized code sy...

  • Allowed Amount

    The maximum amount your insurance plan will pay for a covered service, based on ...

  • Balance Billing

    When an out-of-network provider bills you for the difference between their bille...

  • Chargemaster

    A hospital's comprehensive list of prices for every item and service, from aspir...

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