Can You Negotiate Medical Bills?

From 2025 to 2026, medical insurance premiums more than doubled for millions of people across the U.S.

With medical costs continuously rising, many people are asking how they can cut costs on treatment and care.

One option is to try and negotiate your medical bills. There are negotiable items on medical bills, such as services priced higher than what you were quoted, and you can even attempt to negotiate a bill after it goes to collections.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can negotiate on your medical bill, and how to go about it successfully.

Understanding Medical Bills & Your Rights

When you receive a medical bill, it’s important to take a close look at each item on the bill. When you do, you’ll see a few specific details, including the products and services that were provided, how much your insurer covered and what you have to pay.

Of course, you may also see errors on the bill. Here are some of the most common reasons medical bills contain errors:

• The provider used the wrong medical code for the service you received.
• You canceled or refused a service but were still charged.
• A clerical error, such as a typo in your name, caused your insurer to deny coverage.
• Your bill incorrectly states the length of your hospital stay.
• You were charged twice for the same service.

Thankfully, there are legal protections that allow you to address these errors and potentially reduce your bill.

For example, the No Surprises Act limits how much you have to pay for unexpected, out-of-network services. Additionally, you can’t be charged for services you didn’t receive or charges you already paid.

Of course, you also have the right to negotiate with your provider and demand that they fix any other errors in your bill.

When & Why You Should Try to Negotiate

You can negotiate your medical bill at different stages of the care process.

The best time to negotiate is before you receive a service, such as a scheduled procedure. That way you can determine if you’re getting the best rate and whether or not it’s best to seek care elsewhere.

However, negotiating up front isn’t always an option. In cases such as emergencies, where you can’t anticipate needing a specific medical service, you won’t have a sense of what your bill will look like until after receiving treatment. If you find an error at that point, you have the right to negotiate.

According to a study on problems with medical bills, patients who seek help after receiving a bill are often successful. Amongst people who contacted their provider about a bill, these were the results (figures total amount more than 100% because some patients experienced multiple outcomes):

• 37% Bill was corrected
• 18% Set up a payment plan
• 17% Price was dropped
• 16% Better understood their bill
• 10% Got financial assistance
• 6% Bill was canceled

Patients should also know that they can negotiate a medical bill, even if the information is correct.

Many hospitals have financial assistance programs designed to help reduce costs for patients with limited incomes. Some states also require discounts or free care for people with low incomes, including:

• California
• Connecticut
• Illinois
• Maine
• Maryland
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New York
• Rhode Island
• Washington

How to Prepare to Negotiate

It’s important to be well-prepared before you attempt to negotiate a medical bill. Before you contact your provider or insurer, here’s what you can do to increase your chances of success:

• Ask for the bill: If you haven’t been given an itemized bill yet, ask the provider for one.
• Pinpoint errors: Make a list of all errors in your bill, including incorrect dates or duplicate charges.
• Compare costs: Compare your bill with the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) from your insurer to see if you were billed correctly.
• Research rates: Check to see what rates are typical for your region and the service you received. You can do this with tools like FAIR Health Consumer and Healthcare Bluebook.
• Gather documents: Gather all relevant documentation, including your bill and EOB. You may also want to refer to your medical records, insurance policy, or receipts for payments you’ve made.
• Explore assistance: Check to see if the provider offers payment plans, charity care or other discounts that could apply to you.

Negotiation Strategies & Tactics

Don’t let yourself be too intimidated to negotiate your bill. Many people mistakenly believe that negotiating will be pointless, or that it will somehow damage their future care. But in reality, most people have a positive outcome when they negotiate.

To get the most out of your negotiations, take these steps:

• Talk to an advocate: If you’re having trouble making sense of the bill, consider reaching out to a medical advocacy group for help before contacting the provider.
• Contact the right department: Reach out to the billing department for billing questions. You may also want to see if the provider has a patient advocate or financial counselor available.
• Be polite but firm: Politely explain your concerns or confusion. If relevant, discuss your financial hardship.
• Ask for assistance: Explain that the bill is not affordable and ask about discounts, uninsured rate adjustments, or other assistance.
• Offer to settle: If you can afford it, offer an upfront payment in return for a reduction on your bill.
• Try a payment plan: If the provider doesn’t offer any assistance, ask to set up an affordable payment plan.
• Appeal with the insurer: If your insurer denied the claim or underpaid for the service, file an appeal directly with them.

Dealing with Medical Debt Collectors

If you fail to pay the medical bill on time, a few different things can happen.

Typically, the provider will have their internal collections team try to contact you about a payment plan or a settlement. If that is unsuccessful, the provider will likely sell the bill to a debt collector.

If your medical debt goes to a collector, you can attempt to negotiate a settlement for less than what you owe. Here are a few pointers for dealing with debt collectors:

• Ask for an itemized bill, or “superbill,” to verify what you owe.
• Avoid paying the debt with credit cards or high-interest loans, since this can exacerbate your financial troubles.
• If you can afford it, offer a lump sum payment to settle your debt for less than what you owe.
• Note that paying off collection debt does not improve your credit scores.

What to do If Negotiation Doesn’t Work

Even if you do everything the right way, there’s always a chance your negotiation efforts will fail. If that happens, there are still steps you can take to try and reduce or manage the bill.

As we mentioned above, you can ask the medical provider if they offer assistance, such as charity care or an affordable payment plan. Alternatively, if your insurance provider denied the claim, you can reach out to them and file an appeal.

Finally, you might want to bring in a third party for support, such as a medical advocate or an attorney.

If none of these options are fruitful, you’ll have to look for a way to pay the bill. For patients with multiple medical debts, you might consider taking out a medical debt consolidation loan.

If you can’t afford the bill and your debt is unmanageable, consider filing bankruptcy as a last resort.

Common Myths & Misconceptions About Negotiating Medical Debt

Negotiating medical debt is a topic many people are in the dark about. Instead of believing the myth that you’re powerless, arm yourself with the facts about negotiating.

Myth: Hospitals won’t negotiate with uninsured / self-pay patients.

Most people who don’t have insurance believe they can’t negotiate medical bills. But the truth is, even if you’re uninsured, you have the right to be billed accurately, and to have your bill updated if there are errors. You can also ask for financial assistance.

Myth: Once insurance pays, the bill is final and can’t be changed.

Medical bills are not set in stone. As a patient, it’s crucial to review your bills and make sure they’re correct. If there are errors, you can negotiate with the provider and even file an appeal with the insurance company.

Myth: Debt collectors have unlimited power to force payment.

Debt collectors can’t force you to pay a debt unless they take you to court. And that’s a process debt collectors want to avoid, unless you owe a large amount.

It’s important to not let debt collectors intimidate you. Instead, ask them to send you a letter verifying the debt, and carefully consider whether you want to negotiate a settlement.

Negotiating with Medical Debt Collectors

If you’re struggling with medical debt, you’re not alone. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, $88 billion worth of medical debt is in collections.

If you’re in this situation, it can feel like there’s no way to overcome the debt. But fortunately, you can still contact your medical provider to negotiate your bill, even if it’s already in collections. If that doesn’t work, settling the debt for less than you owe could be your best option.