9 checklists
Checklists
Tick items off as you go, or print them. Ticks stay in this browser tab only.
- Expedited appeal
How to ask your plan for a fast decision when waiting could seriously harm your health, and what to do if it says no.
- External review request
How to ask for an independent review of a final denial: the four-month deadline, which process and form apply, and the fast option.
- First 48 hours after a denial
What to do, and what to leave alone, in the first two days after you get a denial, before you write an appeal.
- Internal appeal packet
What to gather, include and send when you ask your plan to reconsider a denial, and what to track after you send it.
- Medicare appeal
The notices to look for, the forms and the deadlines at each level of a Medicare appeal, including fast appeals for hospital discharge and ending services.
- Phone call with your insurer
What to have ready, what to ask and what to write down on a call with your plan, so the call leaves a record.
- Surprise bill response
How to check whether the No Surprises Act protects you from an unexpected out-of-network bill, who to ask to fix it, and where to complain.
- The bill while you appeal
How to keep a bill from getting worse while your appeal is pending, check what you actually owe, and look for ways to reduce it.
- What your denial letter should contain
A list of what the federal rules say a denial notice must contain, so you can tick what your letter has and ask for what it lacks.