What Are We Talking About?
You may have heard that as of January 1, 2019, hospitals have price information
online. Here is important information to help you understand what you
are looking at.
About the “Charge Master”
- A charge master is a list of medical codes and prices for everything a
hospital provides to patients.
- Each hospital has its own charge master list that is used for billing purposes.
- The charge master list is not the negotiated price between hospitals and
insurers, and it is not the price that most patients would pay for care.
- The charge master list is not the best tool for patients to figure out
the cost of their health care services.
- The prices on the charge master list are not the actual payment rates that
hospitals receive.
- Charge master prices are almost never the actual amount a patient is responsible for.
How Much Will I Pay?
The best way to understand what you will pay out-of-pocket is to work with
your hospital and your insurer. In general:
- Individuals with insurance will pay any copayments, coinsurance, or deductible due.
- Individuals without insurance might be eligible for financial assistance
or charity care, or may be able to receive a reduced price from the hospital.
Getting Help from Your Hospital
Hospitals offer financial counseling and help for both people who have
insurance and those who do not. Contact your hospital’s financial
office or patient advocates for help.
Price Transparency
RGH Charge Master (Effective July 2022)
2021 Price Transparency – Machine Readable Files