Help for right now
You do not have to read anything else first. Pick the line that fits. None of these needs an account.
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Medical emergency
Call 911 or go to an emergency room
Do not delay emergency care because of a coverage question. Emergency care has special protections, and any dispute can be sorted out afterwards.
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Crisis or thoughts of suicide
Call or text 988
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, open at all hours, and also takes chats. You do not need insurance.
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Care is being delayed and waiting could seriously harm you
Ask for a fast (expedited) decision today
If your doctor says waiting could seriously harm your health, your plan has to decide much faster. For most private plans that is no later than 72 hours, and you can ask for an independent review at the same time. Ask your doctor to say so in writing.
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You are about to run out of a medicine
Call your prescriber and the pharmacy today
Ask the pharmacy what it can do right now, and ask your prescriber to request an exception or a fast decision. Talk to your prescriber before changing how you take any medicine.
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A hospital, rehab, nursing home or home health stay is ending (Medicare) Deadline: hours or days
With Medicare, you can ask for a fast appeal
If you have Medicare and a hospital says you are being sent home, or a skilled nursing, rehab, home health or hospice service is ending, you can ask a Medicare review organization (the Quality Improvement Organization named on your notice) to look at it. The time is very short: no later than the day you leave the hospital, or by noon of the day after you get a notice that other care is ending. Call the number on the notice, or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
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Medicaid services being cut or stopped Deadline: hours or days
Ask to appeal and keep the services going, within days
If your Medicaid health plan is cutting or ending services you already get, you can ask to keep them going while you appeal. That request is due within 10 days of the date on the plan's notice, or before the change starts if that is later. Call the plan today, then confirm in writing.
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A deadline is today or tomorrow Deadline: hours or days
Send something now, by a way you can prove
A short letter that says you appeal, sent today with proof of the date, is better than a perfect letter sent late. Then ask in writing whether anything else is needed. If it may already have passed, ask the plan for more time and say why.
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You do not know who to call
Start with your state regulator
Every state has an insurance regulator, and many have free consumer help. If you have a job-based plan your employer funds itself, the U.S. Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration helps: 1-866-444-3272.