How to use hospital prices
What hospital charges, cash prices and insurance rates in the prices section of our hospital pages mean, how to get an estimate, and your rights about medical bills.
Who this guide is for
For anyone planning a test, scan, visit or procedure who wants an idea of the cost: people without insurance, people with high deductibles, and anyone comparing hospitals. Federal rules require every hospital to post its standard charges online; we show a selection of common services from that file.
What the official data on our pages means
- Hospital charge
- The hospital’s list price (“gross charge”) before any discount or insurance. Few people pay this amount.
- Cash price
- The price the hospital offers if you pay yourself, without insurance (“discounted cash price”).
- Insurance rates (lowest – highest)
- The lowest and highest amounts the hospital has agreed with any insurance plan for the service, and some rates by insurer and plan. Some contracts give a percentage instead of a dollar amount. Your own share depends on your deductible, copay and coinsurance.
- Codes, setting and billing class
- Each service is identified by its billing code (CPT or HCPCS for tests and procedures, MS-DRG for a hospital stay). The same service can have different prices as an inpatient or outpatient, and as a hospital (facility) fee or a doctor (professional) fee.
- File link and date
- Every price comes from the hospital’s own file, linked with its date. Prices change; the file is the hospital’s statement, not a quote.
Questions to ask when you call or visit
- What is the total estimate for my care, including the doctors’ fees, anesthesia, tests and any implant or medicine?
- If I have insurance: what will my plan pay, and what will I owe after my deductible, copay and coinsurance? Do I need approval in advance? (Ask your plan; many plans have a cost estimator.)
- If I pay myself: can I have a good faith estimate in writing? Is there a payment plan or financial assistance?
- Is the price the same at the hospital’s outpatient centers or at another location?
Warning signs
- A price far below others for the same code may leave out parts of the care (for example the doctor’s fee or anesthesia). Ask what it includes.
- A bill much higher than your good faith estimate, or a bill from an out-of-network doctor for emergency care: you may have protections under the No Surprises Act.
- A hospital website with no price file or price tool you can find. Every hospital must post one.
Costs and who pays
Insured: your plan pays its agreed rate; you pay your deductible, copay or coinsurance. Staying in network usually costs you less.
Uninsured or self-pay: you have the right to a good faith estimate before scheduled care, and if the bill is much higher you may be able to dispute it.
Financial assistance: non-profit (tax-exempt) hospitals must have a written financial assistance policy; many other hospitals have one too. Ask before and after care.
Medicare and Medicaid pay set amounts; your share is set by your coverage, not by the hospital’s list price.
In general terms only. Deductibles, coinsurance and other amounts change every year, and Medicaid rules differ by state: check Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE or your state Medicaid agency, and ask your plan.
How to complain or get help
- A hospital does not post its prices: you can report it to CMS through the hospital price transparency page.
- Surprise bills and good faith estimates: CMS explains your rights and how to file a complaint or dispute a bill on its medical bill rights pages, and runs the No Surprises Help Desk.
- Billing errors: ask the hospital for an itemized bill and call its billing office. If you have insurance, compare the bill with your plan’s explanation of benefits.
Find care on US Patient Guide
Common questions
Is the price on the hospital page what I will pay?
No. It is what the hospital lists in its file for one service. Your bill depends on your insurance, the doctors involved and the care you actually receive. Ask the hospital and your plan for an estimate.
What is a good faith estimate?
A written estimate of the expected charges that providers must give, under the No Surprises Act, to people who are uninsured or will not use insurance, when care is scheduled in advance or when they ask for one.
Why are there several prices for the same service?
Hospitals list a price for each setting (inpatient or outpatient), each type of fee (hospital or doctor) and each insurance plan. The cash price applies when you pay yourself.
Sources
- Hospital price transparency (CMS)
- No Surprises Act: your rights and protections against surprise medical bills (CMS)
- Medical bill rights (CMS)
- Financial assistance policies of tax-exempt hospitals (IRS)
Written in plain language by US Patient Guide from the official sources above, November 2, 2026. The facts on each provider page come from the official data shown on that page, with its date. Not medical advice.