KeepMD EOB Decoder is a privacy-first browser extension designed to help users understand EOB (Explanation of Benefits) and medical bill text. It converts hard-to-understand medical billing content into plain-English explanations.
Purpose An EOB is an explanation sent by a health plan after processing a claim, listing the provider's charges, the amounts the plan allowed and paid, and the amount the user may owe. An EOB is not a bill; the bill is sent by the provider. Before paying, you can compare the bill with the EOB for the same date of service, and the amount you owe should match the patient responsibility amount on the EOB; if they do not match, you can ask the provider or the health plan why. This extension helps users understand the codes and insurance terms in an EOB so they can have clearer context before contacting the insurance company, provider, or billing office.
Main capabilities
- Paste decoding: Paste a line of EOB or medical bill text and get a readable explanation directly in the popup.
- Local PDF upload: Select a text-based PDF, and the extension uses pdf.js to extract text locally; the file is not transmitted.
- Selected text decoding: Highlight a line of text on a webpage, right-click and select "Decode with KeepMD" to view the result in an overlay. This option appears only when text is selected.
- Code and term explanations: Explains ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, HCPCS Level II service and supply codes, and common EOB terms.
- CPT code flagging: Points out possible CPT procedure codes but does not describe their contents, because official AMA descriptions require a license.
- Visible controls: The local activity log is optional, off by default, and can be cleared from the popup.
- Optional encrypted handoff: In the Chrome extension, when the user actively chooses to continue, an AES-GCM encrypted envelope can be created in the browser; the server receives only ciphertext, and the key remains in the link or QR code fragment; the Edge, Firefox, and Safari versions remain fully local and do not include this handoff feature.
How to use
- Install the extension: In Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, open the extensions menu (puzzle icon) and pin KeepMD EOB Decoder to the toolbar. In Mac Safari, first open the KeepMD EOB Decoder app once, then enable it in Safari Settings under "Extensions."
- Select text: Paste A line in an EOB, open a text-based PDF in a popup, or select text from a web page.
- Read the explanation: KeepMD explains supported codes and insurance terms in plain English on your device.
- Continue as needed: copy the explanation, download a JSON draft, or send an encrypted handoff to KeepMD mobile in Chrome.
When to Use Suitable for patients, caregivers, and family health record organizers who want to understand a bill before contacting an insurer, provider, or billing office. Can be used to quickly understand diagnosis codes, service codes, and insurance terms in an EOB, and to compare billed amounts with the EOB patient responsibility amount.
Limitations
- For informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, insurance, or billing advice.
- Does not determine whether a bill is correct.
- Scanned or image-only PDFs have no readable text layer and OCR is not included.
- CPT procedure codes are only flagged, not displayed with descriptions, because official AMA descriptions require a license.
- Does not collect browsing history or scan pages in the background; text pasted, selected, and extracted from PDFs remains on your device for local decoding.
Support and Troubleshooting Provides installation and usage help and FAQs; if problems persist, contact support. On Firefox for Android, right-click decoding is unavailable; instead, paste text into the popup.
Privacy and Security Text pasted, selected, and extracted from PDFs remains on your device for local decoding. The local activity log records feature clicks only after the user enables it, and it is off by default. The extension does not collect browsing history or scan pages in the background. Encrypted handoff is created only after user action, AES-GCM encryption occurs in the browser, and the key is not sent from the browser to a server.
Platforms and Cost Free support for Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari on Mac. No account required.