Last updated: October 2026
A quick detour from real estate — because this one helps a lot of my Rocky Point neighbors. Many of you split your year between here and the States, and you still deal with U.S. medical bills. Those bills are confusing on purpose, and billing errors are more common than most people realize: duplicate charges, services you never got, the same thing billed twice under different codes. I got tired of squinting at these, so I built an app to help. Here’s how to check a bill yourself — and how the app makes it easy.
Why medical bills are so hard to read
Hospital bills come in two flavors: the vague summary they mail you, and the itemized bill with every line on it. You want the itemized one. Even then, it’s a wall of procedure codes and dollar amounts with no context — so it’s nearly impossible to tell whether a charge is normal, inflated, or flat-out wrong. That’s exactly where errors hide.
How to check your own bill
A few things anyone can do, no app required:
Ask for the itemized bill. You’re entitled to it. Don’t pay off the summary — get every line.
Look for duplicates and bundles. The same service billed twice, or charges that should have been bundled into one, are among the most common errors.
Compare against a benchmark. Medicare publishes reference rates for most procedures. They’re not what a hospital or private insurer will necessarily accept, but they give you a sane yardstick for “is this in the right ballpark?”
Question anything that looks off — before you pay. Call billing, ask for an explanation of a specific line, and request a correction or a dispute review if it doesn’t add up.
The app I built to make this easy: Check My Bill by Fair Price
Doing all of that by hand is tedious, so I built Check My Bill by Fair Price to do the heavy lifting. Here’s how it works:
You scan your bill, snap a photo, or import a PDF, add your ZIP code and a couple of details, and the app pulls out the services, procedure codes, and billed amounts. Then it shows you the Medicare reference rate for your area next to each line, highlights possible duplicate or bundled charges, and marks anything it can’t benchmark so you know what to ask about. If you want to push back, it can generate an itemized-bill request, a dispute-review letter, or a call script — you review it, personalize it, and send it yourself. You can save your reviews and track what you actually saved.
It’s free to download (there’s a sample bill you can try without uploading anything), it doesn’t require a login, and it doesn’t keep your bill images. One tip: cover your name, account number, and date of birth before you scan, just like you would with any sensitive document.
A couple of honest notes, because I’d rather you trust it: the highlights are reasons to ask questions, not proof that a charge is wrong, and Medicare rates are a reference point, not a guaranteed price. Results vary, and I can’t promise savings — but knowing which lines to question is half the battle. The app is for U.S. medical bills, and it’s information, not medical, legal, or financial advice.
Give it a look: Download Check My Bill by Fair Price — free on the App Store. If it saves you a few dollars (or a few hundred), I’d love to hear about it.
This article is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Check My Bill by Fair Price is for U.S. medical bills; it flags items to review and does not determine what you owe. Always confirm your specific situation with your provider, insurer, or a licensed professional.
Joseph Sanchez is an AMPI-certified real estate agent with RE/MAX Legacy and the developer of Viviente at Sandy Beach. He serves as president of Rocky Point Home Builders and is a proud U.S. Veteran. Originally from Chicago and a Southern Illinois University at Carbondale alumnus, Joseph now resides full-time in Puerto Peñasco with his wife and three children for over 15 years. For more information email rockypointrealestate911@gmail.com.