Fact · Accessibility and health
If you do not use health insurance, providers generally must give you a good faith estimate of what your care will cost, usually when you book it or when you ask.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“providers must give you a good faith estimate of what your care will cost”
Medical bill rights, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, n.d., Good faith estimates.
Open the original- What it measures
- This is a federal protection under the No Surprises Act for people who are uninsured or self-pay. It applies when you schedule care in advance or ask for an estimate.
- What it does not show
- The estimate is not a fixed price, and the rule does not cover every case. Ask for it in writing, and keep it, because it is the basis for any later dispute.