Frequently asked questions

Yes. It is free and anonymous: no account, no sign-in, and we never ask for your name, bill number or contact details.

It is an estimate based on your state's law and the answers you give, and it shows the exact rule it relies on so you can check it. The hospital's financial assistance office makes the final decision.

California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington. More states are planned.

Many hospitals must offer free or discounted care to patients below certain incomes. It is usually called charity care or financial assistance, and the rules depend on your state and the hospital.

A federal law that protects you from many surprise bills: emergency care, an out-of-network provider at an in-network hospital, air ambulance, and bills at least $400 above a written Good Faith Estimate if you were uninsured or paid yourself.

Often yes. Many state rules and hospital policies look at what you still owe after insurance, and the No Surprises Act applies to insured patients too.

Often not. Nonprofit hospitals must accept applications for at least 240 days after the first bill, and many states have their own windows. Applying can pause collections and can lead to a refund if you already paid.

Yes. Brightbill's full service opens soon, and it will be free. When it opens: Brightbill applies to the hospital for financial assistance, follows up, reads the reply and checks the decision against the law and the hospital's own policy. For a surprise bill or a bill above your Good Faith Estimate, it walks you through the government dispute form step by step, writes any letter your case needs, sends it with your approval and tracks the deadlines. It sends by email first. If an office only accepts mail, Brightbill mails it at no cost (the application and one follow-up for each provider).

No. Brightbill never asks patients for money, before or after a decision.

Yes. The free check shows you the application Brightbill would send, written from your answers, and where it would go, before you share any documents. Nothing is sent until you add the required documents, check what Brightbill read and sign.

Up to 3 new cases per account in 30 days. If you need another, email support@brightbillapp.com.

One financial assistance application, done for you. You add your bill and proof of income, check one summary and sign once. Brightbill sends the application to the hospital, follows up if it does not answer, forwards every reply to you, reads it, checks the decision against the law and the hospital's own policy and prepares your next step. Sending by email is free. If an office only takes mail, Brightbill mails it at no cost: the application and one follow-up for each provider.

You sign the application once. Follow-ups go automatically, and we email you before each one so you can tell us if the hospital already contacted you. An appeal or a complaint goes only after you tap to approve it.

Brightbill checks the decision against your state's law and the hospital's own policy. If it looks wrong, we prepare an appeal or a complaint to the right state or federal office, and send it after you approve it.

Many do. Federal rules for nonprofit hospitals say that if an application is missing something, the hospital must tell you in writing what it needs and give you time to send it, and must hold off on collection actions such as credit reporting while you do. Brightbill sends your details and documents, asks for the hospital's own form if it uses one, and helps you send whatever it asks for.

The free check shows the letter Brightbill would send. Start a free case, then add your bill and your Good Faith Estimate or insurance statement. You get help disputing a surprise bill, or a bill at least $400 above your Good Faith Estimate. Brightbill reads your paperwork, walks you through the government dispute form step by step with every answer ready to copy, writes any letter your case needs and sends it after you approve it, and tracks the deadlines. You sign in and submit the government form yourself. If you file a federal dispute, the government's $25 fee is paid to CMS, not to Brightbill. Sending by email is free. If an office only takes mail, Brightbill mails it at no cost: the application and one follow-up for each provider.

Only for the federal dispute process for uninsured or self-pay patients: $25, paid to CMS, not to Brightbill. It comes off your bill if you win. The federal complaint is free.

Asking a hospital for financial assistance and disputing a surprise bill follow different rules and deadlines, so each has its own case and its own letters. Both are free.

We prepare every answer and document for you in the right order, ready to copy and upload. We never log in to your portal or ask for your password.

No. No one can promise what a hospital or reviewer decides. Brightbill does the paperwork, follows up and checks the decision, and tells you your next step.

They are stored privately, only you can see your case, and we delete your documents 90 days after your case closes. We never sell your personal information and we use no ad trackers. Health Data Privacy Policy.

No. Brightbill gives estimates and prepares paperwork you approve. It is not a law firm and not affiliated with any hospital.

Brightbill was built by Khalid El-Saadi. About Brightbill.

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