Understanding Your Rights: Medical Billing Transparency and Protections

At Anesthesiology Services Network, we are committed to ensuring you have the information you need to make informed decisions about your healthcare. Here’s what you need to know about your rights regarding medical billing, including protections from surprise bills and the ability to receive a Good Faith Estimate.

Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate

As a patient, you are entitled to receive a Good Faith Estimate detailing the expected costs for medical care. This includes:

• What Is Included: The total anticipated cost of medical items and services, such as tests, prescriptions, equipment, and hospital fees.
• When You’ll Receive It:
  • If you schedule a service at least 3 business days in advance, you must receive a written estimate within 1 business day of scheduling.
  • For services scheduled at least 10 business days in advance, the estimate must be provided within 3 business days.
• Your Right to Dispute: If your bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, you have the right to dispute the charges.

For more information or questions about your Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers or call 1-800-985-3059.

Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills

The No Surprises Act safeguards you from unexpected medical expenses when receiving care. Here’s what you should know:

• What Is Surprise Billing?: This occurs when you receive care from out-of-network providers or facilities without your knowledge, potentially leading to higher costs.
• Your Protections:
  • Emergency Services: You can’t be billed more than your in-network cost-sharing amount for emergency care, even if provided by an out-of-network facility or provider.
  • In-Network Facility Services: For certain services at in-network hospitals or surgical centers, such as emergency medicine or anesthesiology, you can only be billed your in-network rate.

You are never required to waive these protections or seek out-of-network care. Additionally:

• You’ll only pay your share of costs, like copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles.
• Health plans must cover emergency services without prior authorization and at in-network rates.

If you believe you’ve been wrongly billed, contact 1-800-985-3059 or visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers.

At Anesthesiology Services Network, your rights and peace of mind are our priority. Contact us today if you have any questions or concerns about your medical bills or your protections under federal law.