How to read these numbers

Every figure on Posted Price comes from a file the hospital itself publishes. Here is what each number means and what it leaves out.

Where the numbers come from

Since 2021, federal rules (45 CFR 180.50) require every US hospital to post a machine-readable file of its standard charges for everything it provides, and to keep it updated at least once a year. Since 2024 each hospital also has to list that file in a small text file at the root of its website (cms-hpt.txt). We read those files, keep the rows for about 230 common services, and show them here with the file's date and a link to the file.

Cash price

The hospital's posted discounted cash price: what it says it charges people who pay themselves, without insurance. Many hospitals offer further discounts or financial assistance based on income, so this is a ceiling rather than a floor. Some hospitals post a cash price equal to their gross charge, which means no self-pay discount is listed.

Gross charge

The hospital's list price (its "chargemaster" price) before any discount. Itemized bills usually show gross charges. Few people end up paying them.

Insurer rates (min – max)

The lowest and highest rates the hospital says it has negotiated with any insurer for this item, with the insurers' names removed ("de-identified minimum and maximum"). Your own plan's rate is usually somewhere in that range. Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible and coinsurance.

What these numbers leave out

• Other bills. A price for one code usually covers the hospital's own facility charge. The surgeon, radiologist, anesthesiologist or pathologist may bill separately.
• Other items on the same visit. A visit is usually billed as several codes (the visit level, imaging, labs, drugs, supplies). One code is one line of the bill.
• Changes since the file date. Hospitals update their files at least yearly. We show each file's date and re-check the files every week.
• Several rows for one code. A file can list the same code more than once (outpatient and inpatient, different departments, a doctor's fee). Hospital pages show one row: the facility row for the usual setting, preferring a row with a cash price. Each service page lists every row we found.

Before a scheduled service

If you are uninsured or paying yourself, the hospital must give you a good faith estimate on request (and for any service scheduled at least three business days ahead). If the final bill from that provider or facility is $400 or more above its estimate, you can start a federal patient-provider dispute within 120 days of the bill (there is a $25 fee). See CMS: Dispute a medical bill.

Something looks wrong?

Every page links to the hospital's own file so you can check the row yourself. If our figure doesn't match the file, email aaonvsaaon@gmail.com with the page address.