By Qamar S, 15 years in US medical billing · Last reviewed September 26, 2026
If you were uninsured or paid for care yourself, you can dispute a bill that is at least $400 more than the provider’s Good Faith Estimate, as long as you start within 120 days of the bill date. This checker tells you in seconds whether your bill meets both tests.
Can I dispute my bill? (Good Faith Estimate checker)
The rules behind the checker
Under the No Surprises Act, uninsured and self-pay patients have the right to a Good Faith Estimate before scheduled care. The federal patient-provider dispute process applies when:
- One of your providers or facilities billed at least $400 more than its own Good Faith Estimate
- Your first bill is dated within the last 120 calendar days
- You pay a $25 administrative fee, which is taken off what you owe if the decision goes your way
You’ll need a copy of the Good Faith Estimate and the bill. Don’t mail original documents.
From 15 years in billing: compare each provider separately. A surgery can have separate estimates from the surgeon, the facility and the anesthesiologist, and the $400 rule applies to each one on its own.
Using insurance instead? Read about the No Surprises Act and how to dispute a medical bill.
Source: CMS: Dispute a medical bill
Cite or share this tool: link to https://medbillguide.com/tools/good-faith-estimate-dispute-checker/
This tool gives estimates for education only. It is not legal, financial or insurance advice. See our Disclaimer.