Where to Find Hospital Prices and Understand Healthcare Costs

Navigating hospital prices can be a daunting task, but there are resources available to help you understand the costs.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website provides a Hospital Cost Report database, which contains detailed financial data for over 4,000 hospitals across the US.

You can also check the prices of specific procedures and services at your local hospital by visiting their website or contacting their patient billing department directly.

The Hospital Price Transparency Rule, implemented in 2021, requires hospitals to make their standard charges publicly available online, making it easier for patients to compare prices.

Surprise billing can happen unexpectedly, like when you have an emergency or are treated by an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility.

You may be surprised to receive a bill for thousands of dollars, depending on the procedure or service.

Out-of-network providers can bill you for the difference between what your plan pays and the full amount charged for a service, which is likely more than in-network costs.

This amount might not count toward your plan's deductible or annual out-of-pocket limit, leaving you with a significant bill.

You can't control who is involved in your care, which makes surprise billing a potential risk, especially in emergency situations.

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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services.

FloridaHealthFinder.gov provides information on the performance of Florida health care providers, and myUFHealth offers a price estimator tool to help you estimate costs for common medical procedures and services.

You can also ask your healthcare provider for a Good Faith Estimate before scheduling an item or service, and they must provide it in writing within three business days.

Here are some key things to keep in mind:

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill for your records.

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You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

If you schedule an item or service at least three business days in advance, your healthcare provider must give you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within one business day after scheduling. The same goes for scheduling at least 10 business days in advance, where you'll get the estimate within three business days.

You can also ask any healthcare provider for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service, and they must give you a written estimate within three business days.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

Here are some key deadlines to keep in mind:

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill, so you have a record of the expected costs and any discrepancies.

You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services upon request or when scheduling such items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

You can ask for a Good Faith Estimate at any time, and you should receive it in writing within a certain timeframe. If you schedule an item or service at least three business days in advance, your healthcare provider must give you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within one business day. If you schedule an item or service at least 10 business days in advance, your healthcare provider must give you a Good Faith Estimate in writing within three business days.

You can also use online tools to get an estimate of healthcare costs. For example, Texas Health offers a self-service cost estimate tool where you can search for the cost of common services provided at their hospitals.

If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. This means you can challenge the bill and try to get it reduced or waived.

Here's a summary of your rights:

Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate and the bill, in case you need to dispute the bill or refer to the estimate later.

FloridaHealthFinder.gov provides information on the performance of Florida health care providers. This resource is a great starting point for researching hospitals in Florida.

myUFHealth price estimator offers estimated costs for common medical procedures and services. You can use this tool to get an idea of the costs involved.

Florida Health Price Finder is another useful tool that compares national, state, and county health care costs. Cost estimates are based on a compilation of charges for the average patient.

Texas Health offers an online, self-service cost estimate tool where you can search for the cost of common services provided at their hospitals. Estimates provided are just that — estimates, and are not a guarantee of what you will owe.

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If you're looking for regional pricing information, you can start by checking FloridaHealthFinder.gov. This website provides information on the performance of Florida health care providers.

You can also use the Florida Health Price Finder, which compares national, state, and county health care costs. This tool provides cost estimates based on a compilation of charges for the average patient.

For specific pricing information, you can look up the Standard Charges for UF Health Shands, which includes the rates they charge for hospital procedures and the contracted insurance payer costs for each procedure.

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Florida has a few resources to help you estimate healthcare costs.

You can use myUFHealth's price estimator to find out the estimated costs for common medical procedures and services.

FloridaHealthFinder.gov provides information on the performance of Florida healthcare providers, which can be useful when making decisions about where to receive care.

The Florida Health Price Finder tool compares national, state, and county healthcare costs, giving you a better understanding of what to expect.

If you're a Utah patient, there are a few ways to get cost estimates for healthcare services. You can call or email our cost estimation team at (855) 442-8601 or use the Intermountain Health UT/ID app.

To get estimates for services, you can also use your MyChart account or call us at (800) 762-6438.

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If you're a patient in Colorado, Montana, or Wyoming, you can get an estimate by calling (800) 762-6438 or using your MyChart patient portal.

If you have an emergency medical condition, you're protected from surprise medical bills for emergency services from out-of-network providers or facilities. You can't be balance billed for these services, and you'll only be responsible for paying your plan's in-network cost-sharing amount.

This protection applies even after you're in stable condition, unless you give written consent and give up your protections. Florida law also provides additional protection for balance billing, but only for insurance providers from within the state.

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