Disclaimer and explanation for standard hospital charges

Price Transparency Resources

This hospital determines its standard charges for patient services with the use of a chargemaster system, which is a list of charges for the components of patient care that go into every patient's bill. These are the baseline rates for services provided at this hospital. The hospital estimates do not include costs charged by other medical professionals outside the hospital but who are involved in a patient's care such as physicians and radiologists.

The chargemaster is similar in concept to the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) on a vehicle. It is the starting price of each service performed and goods consumed associated with the individual patient's treatment. Your own charges and out-of-pocket expenses will depend on the actual patient care services you receive, the terms of your insurance coverage, and/or your eligibility for financial assistance. These prices are updated annually and are subject to change from time to time to accurately reflect the hospital's expenses to operate; however, updates throughout the year will not be reflected in the attached file.

Standard charges shown in the attached file do not necessarily reflect what a patient may pay. Government insurance plans such as Medicare and MediCal/Medicaid do not pay the chargemaster rates, but rather have their own set rates which hospitals are obligated to accept. Commercial insurance payments are based on contract negotiations with managed care payors and may or may not reflect the standard charges. Patients without commercial insurance or not covered by a government health care plan should contact the hospital prior to a procedure to discuss charges, alternative pricing, and payment terms.