Know your rights as a patient in Maine. From surprise billing protections to financial assistance programs, here's what the law says about your medical bills.
Based on CMS cost report data from 28 hospitals in Maine.
Maine hospitals charge an average of 2.3× their actual costs. The average hospital stay is billed at $108,000, while the actual cost is $47,000. Compare prices at specific hospitals →
The federal No Surprises Act protects all Maine patients, regardless of state laws:
LD 1880 — Surprise Billing Protections (2020) — Maine LD 1880 (2020) protects patients from surprise out-of-network medical bills for emergency and non-emergency care at in-network facilities.
If you receive a surprise out-of-network bill, you are not responsible for the balance beyond what you'd pay for in-network care. Contact your insurer and reference the LD 1880 — Surprise Billing Protections (2020) to dispute any balance bill.
Under Federal 501(r) & Maine Medicaid (MaineCare), hospitals in Maine must provide financial assistance to qualifying patients.
Income threshold: Varies by hospital (MaineCare covers up to 138% FPL)
Maine has a 6-year statute of limitations on written contracts. Medical debt falls under this limit. After 6 years, creditors cannot sue to collect.
After 6 years, creditors cannot sue you to collect medical debt in Maine. The clock starts from the date of your last payment or acknowledgment of the debt.
Beyond surprise billing and financial assistance, federal and state law provide these important protections.
Uninsured or self-pay patients can request a good faith estimate of charges before receiving care. If the final bill exceeds the estimate by $400 or more, you can dispute it through the federal process.
You have the right to an itemized bill showing each charge. Review it carefully — billing errors are found in up to 80% of hospital bills according to industry estimates.
Since 2021, all hospitals must publish their standard charges and negotiated rates online. Use Taven's price comparison tool to see how Maine hospitals compare.
Hospitals must offer reasonable payment plans before pursuing collections. Ask about interest-free options and negotiate monthly payment amounts based on your income.
Maine has a 6-year statute of limitations on medical debt (Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752). After 6 years, creditors cannot sue you to collect.
Yes. LD 1880 (2020) protects Maine patients from surprise out-of-network bills for emergency services and from balance billing at in-network facilities.
MaineCare is Maine's Medicaid program. It expanded in 2019 to cover adults with incomes up to 138% FPL, providing comprehensive health coverage.
Yes, after a court judgment, but Maine has strong debtor protections. Your primary residence is protected up to $80,000 ($160,000 for those over 60 or disabled).
Contact the Maine Bureau of Insurance at 207-624-8475 for insurance complaints. For billing fraud, contact the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division.
If a hospital or insurance company is violating your rights, you can file a formal complaint.
For insurance-related complaints: claim denials, balance billing, network issues.
📞 1-207-624-8475
File a complaint →For deceptive billing practices, fraud, or consumer protection violations.
File a complaint →Compare prices at 28 hospitals across Maine. Click any hospital to see their procedure prices and negotiated rates.
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