What is the allowed amount on an EOB?

Asked by: Mr. Abelardo Howe  |  Last update: October 20, 2025
Score: 4.8/5 (35 votes)

The maximum amount a plan will pay for a covered health care service. May also be called “eligible expense,” “payment allowance,” or “negotiated rate.” If your provider charges more than the plan's allowed amount, you may have to pay the difference. ( See.

What does the allowed amount mean on an EOB?

Here are some common health care terms, and what they mean: Allowed Amount – This is the maximum payment the plan will pay for a covered health care service.

What is the difference between paid amount and allowed amount?

Allowed amount: what the insurer allows for the service (sometimes shown as an "insurer discount" - i.e., if the billed charge is $50 higher than the insurer's allowed amount, the insurer discount would be $50), Paid amount: what the insurer paid the provider.

How is the allowable amount determined?

For out-of-network providers, the allowed amount is what the insurance company has decided is the usual, customary, and reasonable fee for that service. However, not all insurance plans, like most HMO and EPO plans, cover out-of-network providers.

What is the formula for the allowed amount?

Allowed Amount = Total charges less Contractual Adjustments If no contractual adjustment is posted then total charges equals the allowed amount. Denial adjustments are excluded from the calculation as denials do not impact allowed amount.

What is the Allowed Amount? | Healthcare Medical Billing

17 related questions found

What is the formula for the maximum allowable offer?

The exact formula to calculate MAO may vary based on the property in question and your own situation, but it's generally calculated by multiplying the after-repair costs by 0.7, and then subtracting fixed and repair costs.

What is a contract allowable amount?

It represents the portion of the billed charges that the provider agrees not to collect, as per the terms of the contract with the payer. In simpler terms, contractual allowance is the amount that a healthcare provider writes off as a result of negotiated agreements with insurance companies or government payers.

How to read an EOB for dummies?

The explanation of benefits lists the cost of your care, and how much your health insurance company will pay.
  1. “Provider Charges” is the amount your provider bills for your visit.
  2. “Allowed Charges” is the amount your provider will be paid. ...
  3. “Paid by Insurer” is the amount your health plan will pay to your provider.

What is standardized allowed amount?

The standardized allowed amount for a service is the sum of the core cost of that service, any add-ons or deductions directly related to resource use, and any applicable outlier payments.

Can providers charge more than EOB?

If your provider is charging you more than your EOB shows, we encourage you to talk to your provider directly and ask that your bill be adjusted. If you've already paid more than your EOB says that you owe, you will need to request a refund from your provider or facility directly.

Have an EOB but no bill?

If you have insurance

An EOB is not a bill. An EOB is a summary of the care that you received and shows the amount your insurer is billed, how much your insurance will pay for that care, and the amount that you will owe.

What if I need surgery but can't afford my deductible?

In cases like this, we recommend contacting your insurance, surgeon, or hospital and asking if they can help you with a payment plan. Remember that your surgery provider wants to get paid so they may be very willing to work with you on a payment plan.

Should I keep my EOB statements?

You should keep your Explanation of Benefits documents (shortened to EOB) in an organized system. You can sort your EOBs by date of service and reference them as you progress through the insurance and payment portions following your care and medical treatment.

Why is the allowed amount higher than the billed amount?

This difference has nothing to do with what the provider bills. It is entirely due to the rates negotiated and contracted by your specific insurance company. The provider MUST bill for the highest contracted dollar ($) amount to receive full reimbursement.

What is the ineligible amount on EOB?

3. Amount Claimed - The dollar amount claimed by your provider. 4. Ineligible - Charges for services not covered by your policy or out of network claims that have billed over the Usual and Customary for the geographic area.

What is the maximum allowable benefit?

The maximum benefit limits are the highest amount an individual is paid by a health insurance plan for health services over a specific period. The limits are expressed as a fixed dollar amount, a percentage of the expense covered, or combined total benefits for all covered services.

What does "allowed amount" mean on EOB?

The maximum amount a plan will pay for a covered health care service. May also be called “eligible expense,” “payment allowance,” or “negotiated rate.” If your provider charges more than the plan's allowed amount, you may have to pay the difference. ( See.

What is an example of an allowed amount?

For example, say you see your out-of-network therapist for a routine session. The therapist's rate is $200, but your insurance plan's allowed amount for a therapy session is $150. (Note: insurers determine allowed amounts based on what they deem the going rate for the service to be.

How do insurance companies determine allowed amounts?

If you used an out-of-network provider, the allowed amount is the price your health insurance company has decided is the usual, customary, and reasonable fee for that service. An out-of-network provider can bill any amount they choose and they do not have to write off any portion of it.

What is the adjusted amount on an EOB?

The amounts

the difference or discount between what the facility or provider charged and what your insurance paid. (This may also be referred to as an “Adjustment”, “Contracted Agreement”, or “Allowed Amount.”)

What are the 5 pieces of information found on an EOB?

The EOB will show a variety of information, including details about the medical treatment, the amount that was billed, the amount that the health plan allows for that service, the amount the health plan paid (if any), and the amount that the patient owes.

Why does my explanation of benefits not match my health insurance bill?

If you have a doctor's bill that cannot match one or more EOBs, it is likely that your insurance has not been applied to that bill. This can happen for a number of reasons. A common issue is that the doctor filed the claim to an outdated insurance policy or the name or birthdate did not match our records.

What is the maximum allowable charge?

Maximum Allowable Charge (MAC) — caps payment for services provided by an out-of-network dentist at a scheduled amount, the Maximum Allowable Charge.

What is the accepted contract amount?

Accepted Contract Amount means the total amount (excluding tax and escalation) agreed after concluding contract negotiations and shall supersede the Tender Amount upon signing of contract. The Accepted Contract Amount is typically just the price offered by the contractor in its bid in the procurement proceeding.

What does 30% of allowance mean?

Example: Diagnostic facility charges $150 for a test. Your insurance thinks that particular test should only cost $100, which is their "allowable" amount. So they'll pay you 30% of $100, or $30. So you're out $120.