Compared · The free option
LifeDesk vs Doing it yourself.
Filing your own appeal is your federally-protected right. We support it — our help center has templates. Here's the realistic comparison.
Where Doing it yourself is the right choice
- Free
- You stay in full control
- Available templates from CMS, state insurance departments, and consumer advocacy orgs
Where it’s not a fit
- Time-consuming — a strong appeal cross-references CPT codes, your plan contract, and the applicable federal and state law
- Insurer-specific procedural quirks vary plan-to-plan
- External review processes have strict deadlines easy to miss
Feature
LifeDesk
Doing it yourself
Cost
25% of recovered (nothing if no recovery)
$0
Time investment
<10 minutes
5–15 hours per appeal
Appeal drafting
Handled for you
Self-research
CPT-coding expertise
✓
Self-research
Plan-contract analysis
✓
Self-research
Federal & state law citations
Built into every appeal
Self-research
Email updates + tracking
✓
—
The honest answer: pick what fits your bill.
If you have time and a single bill, DIY can absolutely work. If you have ongoing care, multiple bills, or a complex appeal, the math usually favors having us file.
See also: vs Goodbill · vs Resolve Medical Bills