Bill Fight Kit

Don't pay that medical bill yet. Ask for the itemized one first.

Fill in a few blanks and get a polite, firm letter asking your hospital or doctor for a line-by-line bill. Free, no sign-up, and nothing you type leaves your browser.

Write my letter

1. About you Your full name Your mailing address Phone or email (optional) Who was the patient?

2. About the bill Hospital or provider name Billing address (on your statement, optional)

Account number (optional)

Date(s) of service

Balance shown (optional)

Statement date (optional)

Coverage at the time of care Where does the bill stand?

3. Also ask for A hold on the account while I review it A copy of the claim sent to my insurance The financial assistance policy and application My medical records for these dates (helps you check that each charge really happened)

4. Sending it

How will you send it?

Letter date

Your details are saved only in this browser so you can come back. On a shared computer, press Clear when you're done.

Your letter

What happens next

Why the itemized bill comes first

You can't check a total

A summary statement says "Pharmacy: $1,940." An itemized bill says what, how many and how much each. That's where mistakes show up.

It slows things down, kindly

A written request shows you're paying attention, and it gives you a fair reason to ask for a hold while you look.

Every later step uses it

Disputing an error, asking for a discount, applying for financial help and offering a settlement all go better with the line items in front of you.

Got the itemized bill? Now make it smaller.

The Bill Fight Kit is everything after the first letter, written so you can use it on a tired Tuesday evening.

Error checklist: 32 things to check on your bill, with what to say for each
Phone scripts: 9 calls, word for word, plus answers for common pushback
Financial assistance guide: how to find and apply for hospital financial assistance, and what to do if you're turned down
9 ready letters: error dispute, payment plan, lump-sum settlement, settlement confirmation, collector validation, insurance appeal and more
Two worksheets: a line-by-line audit sheet and a call log

$19

One time. Plain files you can open anywhere.

Get the Bill Fight Kit for $19

One call that works can pay for the kit many times over. No promises on your result, because every bill and every hospital is different.

Questions people ask

Do they have to send me an itemized bill?

In most cases, yes. Under the federal HIPAA privacy rule (45 CFR 164.524), you have a right to copies of the records a provider keeps about you, and that includes billing records. The provider must act on your request within 30 days, and can extend that once by up to 30 more days if it tells you why in writing. Your state may have its own rules too.

Will asking for this hurt my credit or make them angry?

Asking for an itemized bill is a normal request that billing offices handle every day. It is not a refusal to pay, and the letter says so. Stay polite, keep copies and keep an eye on your due dates.

Should I pay something in the meantime?

Usually it's better to wait until you've seen the line items, because it is harder to get money back than to not pay a wrong charge. If a due date is close, call and ask for a hold while your request is open.

Does this work if I have insurance?

Yes. You'll compare the itemized bill with the Explanation of Benefits from your insurer. The two should match, and when they don't, that's something to raise.

Where does my information go?

Nowhere. The letter is built on your own device. Nothing is uploaded and there is no account. A draft is kept in this browser until you press Clear.

Is this legal advice?

No. It's practical help for people in the United States, written in plain words. For a lawsuit, a lien or a very large bill, talk to a lawyer or a legal aid office.