UnitedHealthcare: surprise medical bill

Collect

• the bill
• EOB
• member ID card

Steps

1. Compare the bill with the EOB. Note whether it was emergency care or care at an in-network facility.

   OnlineReview claims and EOBs (member login) Sign-in required

2. Tell UnitedHealthcare (number on the ID card) and the provider that the bill may be a surprise bill.

3. Contact the CMS No Surprises Help Desk.

   RegulatorCMS No Surprises Help Desk +1-800-985-3059

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Contact

  UnitedHealth Group tells health plan members to call the number on their health plan ID card, and people without an ID card to use the Contact UnitedHealthcare page.

  Source: unitedhealthgroup.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• No Surprises Act (surprise billing protections and good faith estimates)
  45 CFR part 149 (including 149.420 and 149.610)

  Protects patients from out-of-network surprise bills for emergency care, for non-emergency care by out-of-network providers at in-network hospitals and surgery centers, and for air ambulance services. People who are uninsured or not using insurance get a good faith estimate and can dispute a bill that is at least $400 over the estimate.

  Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  8 citable points

  • Limit

    For emergency services, "you can't be charged any more for emergency medical services than the in-network 'cost-sharing' rate". This covers the hospital, the providers who treat you there, and air ambulance providers.

    Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    The protections cover non-emergency care related to a visit to an in-network hospital, hospital outpatient department or ambulatory surgical center, and air ambulance services. Ground ambulance services generally are not covered by the No Surprises Act billing protections.

    Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    A patient gives up the protections for non-emergency care only by signing a notice-and-consent form. Providers of ancillary services cannot use that form: emergency medicine, anesthesiology, pathology, radiology and neonatology; assistant surgeons, hospitalists and intensivists; diagnostic services including radiology and laboratory; and any out-of-network provider when no in-network provider is available at the facility.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    A notice-and-consent form for services scheduled at least 72 hours in advance must be given not later than 72 hours before the services. For services scheduled within 72 hours, it must be given on the day of scheduling, and no later than 3 hours before the services if given on the same day.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Uninsured or self-pay patients must get a written good faith estimate: not later than 1 business day after scheduling when care is scheduled at least 3 business days ahead; not later than 3 business days after scheduling when scheduled at least 10 business days ahead; and not later than 3 business days after a request.

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  • Deadline

    Patient-provider dispute resolution is available when the provider charged "$400 or more" than its good faith estimate, for care on or after January 1, 2022, with an initial bill dated within the last 120 calendar days. The patient pays a "$25 non-refundable administrative fee".

    Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Policy

    While a patient-provider dispute is in progress, the provider or facility may not move the bill to collections or threaten to, and must stop pursuing payment of a bill already in collections until the dispute is resolved.

    Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

  • Contact

    No Surprises Help Desk: 1-800-985-3059, weekdays 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET and weekends 10:00 am to 6:00 pm ET. Complaints can also be filed online through CMS.

    Source: cms.gov, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneMembers with a plan through work (employer plans) +1-866-801-4409

   Call the member services number on the back of the member ID card.

2. Written complaint

   FormMember appeal, grievance or ERISA document request form (online)

   Internal appeal or grievance online, or by mail to the address on the denial letter or EOB.

3. State agency

   Your state’s insurance department. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

   External review for fully insured plans; complaint to the state.

4. Federal regulator

   RegulatorU.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration +1-866-444-3272

   Employer self-funded (ERISA) plans.

5. Federal regulator

   RegulatorCMS No Surprises Help Desk +1-800-985-3059

   Surprise bills under the No Surprises Act.

Watch out

Related

• Surprise medical bill at other companies
• How UnitedHealthcare complaints actually go (dossier, checked 2026-10-12)
• Health insurance — how complaints work
• UnitedHealthcare: insurance claim denied
• UnitedHealthcare: billing error