Guide · updated Oct 29, 2026
What is a ghost network?
A "ghost network" is a health plan's provider directory that lists providers who are not actually available: they've left the network, moved, retired, stopped taking new patients, or never answer.
How common are they?
A 2023 U.S. Senate Finance Committee secret-shopper study of Medicare Advantage plans found 80% of the mental health provider listings it checked were inaccurate or unreachable. Our own directory-accuracy reports cross-check thousands of listings against the federal NPI registry.
Why do they happen?
Providers rarely notify every insurer when they change offices or close their panel, and directories are not always verified. Larger listed networks can also make a plan look better than it is.
What the law requires
Under the federal No Surprises Act, most private health plans must verify directory information at least every 90 days, update it within two business days of receiving changes, and respond to network-status questions within one business day. If you rely on a directory listing that wrongly showed a provider as in-network, your plan generally can't charge you more than in-network cost-sharing for that visit. Keep records of the listing and your calls.
How to protect yourself
- Confirm network status for your exact plan before the first visit.
- Save a screenshot of the directory listing with the date.
- Start with providers whose details match independent sources — that's what our confidence score measures.
- Report wrong listings to your insurer, and to your state insurance regulator if it keeps happening.