Medical bills often arrive when we’re at our most vulnerable: recovering from an injury, navigating an unplanned surgery, or managing chronic care. Even if you have insurance, an out-of-network healthcare visit can be unexpectedly costly. Because medical bills are frequently unplanned and confusing, medical debt is increasingly common, with over 100 million Americans carrying more than $220 billion in medical debt.
If you’ve received a medical bill your bank account can’t handle, don’t despair—there are ways to get assistance. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to manage your bills.
Before you start to panic, call your provider’s billing department and ask for an itemized bill. Many medical bills contain errors—like services you didn’t receive, coding errors, duplicate charges, or denied insurance claims—that falsely increase what you owe. That’s why your first step should always be requesting an itemized bill, so you can understand each charge line by line and get any errors corrected if needed.
Did you know that medical bills aren’t necessarily set in stone? You may be eligible for a discount or adjustment, depending on your provider’s explanation of benefits (EOB). An EOB is a document that explains the costs of your visit and how your claim was processed. Comparing your itemized bill with the EOB may reveal errors and give you negotiation power.
When you call your provider, ask, “What’s the settlement amount?” This is the portion of the account balance you’d pay to make the bill go away. If you do reach an agreement, don’t just take their word for it. Always get your negotiated settlement in writing to confirm the correct amount.
Even if there are no errors on your bill, you can still reach out to discuss your bill with your provider. They may offer relief programs that ease the burden of your medical debt. Many hospitals also have patient advocates who can help you understand your bill, request financial assistance, and navigate insurance issues at no cost.
Some states even have laws that require hospitals to provide free or discounted care to patients, sometimes based on income level.
Nonprofit hospitals in the U.S. are required to offer financial assistance based on income eligibility, so even if your state doesn’t mandate broader protections, your hospital may still offer significant discounts. Some providers even offer payment plans, often interest-free, to allow you to pay back your bill over a longer period of time.
If your bill has gone to collections, they may pause activity temporarily.
Depending on your age, income, employment status, and qualifying health issues, you could qualify for medical assistance through a government program. While these programs generally provide coverage for future care, some may help with certain past medical expenses depending on your situation. These programs include:
There are countless nonprofit organizations designed to offer benefits and resources to people struggling with medical bills. These are just a few of the big ones:
If you have a specific health condition, you may be able to find a nonprofit that offers assistance to people dealing with that condition, such as the American Kidney Fund for those with kidney disease or CancerCare for those with cancer.
Keep in mind that medical debt scams are very common, with scammers promising to remove medical debt from your credit report for a fee. A reputable organization or advocate will never pressure you or charge a large upfront fee.
Federal protections for medical debt have strengthened in recent years. As of January 2025, the CFPB issued rules to curb deceptive and unfair medical debt collection practices and remove medical bills from consumer credit reports nationwide, helping millions of Americans avoid long‑term financial harm from medical expenses. These protections help ensure that a medical emergency doesn’t damage your long‑term financial stability.
Medical bills are stressful, but with the right information and resources, they are manageable. We're here to help equip you with the tools and knowledge to move forward financially, even in the face of stressors like medical debt.