administration
Surprise Bill
サプライズ請求 (sapuraizu seikyū)
A surprise bill is an unexpected medical charge a patient receives when they receive care from an out-of-network provider without knowing it — for example, when an out-of-network anesthesiologist assists during an in-network surgery, or when a patient is taken to an out-of-network ER during an emergency. The No Surprises Act, effective January 2022, restricts surprise billing in emergency situations and for certain ancillary services, requiring providers to charge only in-network cost-sharing rates and prohibiting balance billing in covered situations.
Ground ambulance services are not yet covered by the No Surprises Act; Congress has been working on separate legislation to address ambulance surprise billing.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Surprise Bill |
| Japanese (日本語) | サプライズ請求 |
| Chinese (中文) | 意外账单 |
| Korean (한국어) | 깜짝 청구서 |
| Portuguese | Cobrança Surpresa |
| Spanish | Factura Sorpresa |
| Filipino | Surprise Bill |
| Thai | บิลค่ารักษาที่ไม่คาดคิด |
| Vietnamese | Hóa đơn bất ngờ |
| Romanization | sapuraizu seikyū |
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Browse US healthcare guides →Last reviewed: September 2026