Novant Health operates more than 800 locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia — and like most large health systems, its billing department can feel like a wall between you and answers. Whether you've been hit with an unexpected balance after insurance, billed for services you don't recognize, or denied financial assistance you believe you qualify for, you have real rights and real options. This guide walks you through every step of disputing a Novant Health bill, from requesting documentation to escalating outside the system.

What Are Novant Health's Billing Practices Known For?

Novant Health uses a centralized billing system managed through its MyNovant patient portal and a dedicated billing support line. Patients frequently report receiving multiple bills for a single visit — one from Novant Health itself and separate bills from independent physician groups, anesthesiologists, or radiologists who practice at Novant facilities but bill independently. This facility vs. professional fee split is one of the most common sources of confusion and unexpected charges.

Novant has also drawn attention for its charity care eligibility thresholds. Like many nonprofit health systems (Novant holds 501(c)(3) status), it is legally required to provide financial assistance to patients below certain income levels — but the burden of applying falls entirely on the patient. Novant's pricing transparency has improved following federal No Surprises Act requirements, but posted chargemaster rates are still difficult for most patients to interpret without assistance.

The bottom line: billing errors at Novant Health are common, financial assistance is available but not proactively offered, and the dispute process rewards patients who are organized and persistent.

How Do I Get an Itemized Bill From Novant Health?

Before you can dispute anything, you need a line-by-line breakdown of every charge. A summary bill showing one lump total is not sufficient. You are legally entitled to an itemized statement under both federal law and most state consumer protection statutes.

  1. Log into MyNovant Health at mynovanthealth.org. Under the billing section, you can view and download billing statements, but these are often summary-level. Request the full itemized bill explicitly.
  2. Call Novant Health Patient Financial Services at 1-800-350-7659. Ask specifically for an "itemized statement" or "itemized bill" — not just your account summary. Get the representative's name and note the date and time of the call.
  3. Submit a written request via certified mail if phone requests go unfulfilled. Address it to Novant Health Patient Financial Services and reference your account number, date of service, and the specific facilities involved. Written requests create a paper trail that matters if you escalate later.
  4. Request your medical records simultaneously through the MyNovant portal or by contacting the Health Information Management department. Comparing your medical records to your itemized bill is how billing errors get caught.

Novant Health is required to respond to itemized bill requests promptly. If you encounter resistance or delays beyond 30 days, document every interaction — this becomes evidence if you file a complaint with your state's insurance commissioner or attorney general's office.

What Is the Official Bill Dispute Process at Novant Health?

Novant Health does not publicize a formal written appeal process on its main website the way some systems do, but the process exists and follows standard health system dispute conventions. Here is how to navigate it:

  1. Step 1 — Review your itemized bill against your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). Your insurer sends an EOB after every claim is processed. The amount Novant billed your insurer, the contractual adjustment, and your patient responsibility should align. Discrepancies are a red flag.
  2. Step 2 — Identify specific disputed charges. Note each charge by its CPT code (procedure code) and revenue code. Look up unfamiliar codes using the CMS code lookup tool or AAPC's code lookup. Vague descriptions like "medical/surgical supplies" bundled at high dollar amounts are common dispute targets.
  3. Step 3 — Contact Novant Health Patient Financial Services and state clearly that you are initiating a billing dispute. Reference specific line items by CPT or revenue code. Ask for the dispute to be documented in your account. Request a case or reference number.
  4. Step 4 — Submit a written dispute letter. Follow up your phone call with a written letter sent via certified mail. Include your name, account number, date of service, each disputed charge with its code and amount, and your specific reason for disputing it (duplicate charge, service not rendered, upcoding, etc.).
  5. Step 5 — Request a billing review or audit. Ask Patient Financial Services to escalate your dispute to a billing supervisor or patient advocate if the front-line representative cannot resolve the issue. Novant Health employs patient advocates whose role includes navigating these disputes.

Keep copies of every document you send and receive. A clear paper trail protects you and demonstrates good faith if the dispute escalates.

What Are Common Billing Errors Found at Novant Health Facilities?

Knowing what to look for dramatically increases your chances of finding a legitimate error. These are the most frequently reported billing mistakes at Novant Health and similar large health systems:

  • Duplicate charges — The same service, supply, or medication billed more than once. This is especially common with OR supply charges and IV medications.
  • Upcoding — A procedure or evaluation billed at a higher complexity level than what was actually performed. Compare the CPT code on your bill to the documentation in your medical records.
  • Unbundling — Billing separately for procedures that should be billed together under a single bundled code, inflating the total charge.
  • Services not rendered — Charges for consultations, tests, or items listed in the billing that do not appear in your medical records.
  • Incorrect patient information — A wrong insurance ID number or date of birth can cause a legitimate claim to be denied, resulting in a bill being sent to you incorrectly.
  • Out-of-network physician billing — Being billed as out-of-network for a physician you saw inside a Novant facility. Under the federal No Surprises Act, you have protections against unexpected out-of-network charges in most emergency and many non-emergency situations.
  • Facility fee charges — Being billed a separate facility fee for what you believed was a routine office visit, particularly at Novant-owned outpatient clinics that are licensed as hospital outpatient departments.

Does Novant Health Have a Financial Assistance or Charity Care Program?

Yes. As a nonprofit health system, Novant Health is required by the IRS and the Affordable Care Act to offer financial assistance to patients who qualify. The program is called the Novant Health Financial Assistance Program, and it provides free or reduced-cost care based on household income and family size relative to the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).

Key details to know:

  • Patients at or below 200% of the FPL may qualify for free care. Sliding scale discounts typically extend up to 400% of the FPL, though thresholds can vary by facility location and state.
  • You can apply through the MyNovant portal, by calling Patient Financial Services at 1-800-350-7659, or by requesting a paper application at any Novant facility.
  • Required documentation typically includes proof of income (pay stubs, tax returns, or a benefits award letter), proof of household size, and a completed application form.
  • Financial assistance can be applied retroactively — meaning you can apply even after you've received your bill. Do not assume you've missed the window.
  • If you are uninsured, ask specifically about Novant's uninsured discount policy, which may reduce your bill to the Medicare rate regardless of income.

If you apply and are denied, you have the right to request the specific reason in writing and to appeal that denial. Novant's financial assistance policy is a public document — you can request a copy from any registration or billing office.

When Should You Escalate a Novant Health Billing Dispute Beyond the Hospital?

If internal dispute attempts stall, produce no resolution, or result in a denial you believe is unjustified, escalate. Here is the escalation ladder:

  • Your health insurance company — If the dispute involves how a claim was processed, file a formal appeal with your insurer. Insurers have their own dispute timelines and obligations under state and federal law.
  • Your state's Department of Insurance — In North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia, the state insurance commissioner regulates insurer conduct. File a complaint if you believe a claim was improperly denied or processed.
  • Your state's Attorney General's office — Many AG offices have consumer protection divisions that handle healthcare billing complaints, particularly involving nonprofit hospitals and their charity care obligations.
  • The No Surprises Act dispute process — If you were billed out-of-network without proper advance notice, you can file a complaint at NoSurprises.cms.gov or call 1-800-985-3059.
  • A medical billing advocate or healthcare attorney — For bills exceeding several thousand dollars or involving denial of substantial financial assistance, professional representation can pay for itself many times over.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start by requesting a fully itemized bill and your medical records, then compare them line by line. Identify any charges that appear incorrect, duplicated, or undocumented, noting the specific CPT or revenue codes involved. Call Novant Health Patient Financial Services at 1-800-350-7659 to formally initiate a dispute and request a case reference number. Follow up with a written dispute letter sent via certified mail that specifies each contested charge and your reason for contesting it. If the issue is not resolved at the representative level, request escalation to a billing supervisor or patient advocate within Novant's system.

Yes. Novant Health offers a Financial Assistance Program available to patients whose household income falls within qualifying ranges relative to the Federal Poverty Level — typically up to 200% FPL for free care and up to 400% FPL for sliding-scale discounts. Applications are available through the MyNovant patient portal, by phone at 1-800-350-7659, or in person at any Novant facility. You will need to provide proof of income and household size. Importantly, you can apply retroactively after receiving a bill, and you have the right to appeal a denial in writing.

Novant Health does not publish a specific, guaranteed resolution timeline for billing disputes publicly, but standard industry practice — and state consumer protection guidelines in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia — generally require responses to written disputes within 30 to 45 days. If you have submitted a written dispute and received no substantive response within 30 days, follow up in writing again and simultaneously consider filing a complaint with your state's Department of Insurance or Attorney General's office. Keeping dated copies of all correspondence is essential to establishing your timeline.

Yes. If you do not qualify for formal financial assistance or if there is a remaining balance after assistance is applied, Novant Health — like most large health systems — has discretion to negotiate settlements, accept lump-sum payments at a discount, or set up extended payment plans with reduced or no interest. Ask to speak with a financial counselor rather than a standard billing representative. Come prepared with a specific offer and documentation of your financial circumstances. Settlements are more likely to be approved when offered as a prompt lump-sum payment.

This is common. Physicians such as anesthesiologists, radiologists, pathologists, and certain specialists may practice at Novant Health facilities but bill independently through their own medical groups. Each bill needs to be addressed separately with the billing department of that physician group — not with Novant Health directly. Check whether each physician was in-network with your insurance plan. If you received emergency care or were not given a meaningful choice of physicians, the federal No Surprises Act may limit what you can be billed by out-of-network providers, regardless of whether they are employed by Novant or not.