Hospital Price Transparency Reference
Find hospital price transparency files and learn how to compare published prices with your medical bills. Search from 5,381+ hospitals nationwide. All hospitals are required by law to publish their prices in a machine-readable format.
Understanding Price Transparency
What is Hospital Price Transparency?
Since January 1, 2021, hospitals in the United States are required by federal law to publish their standard charges in a machine-readable format. This includes:
- Standard charges: The "list price" for all items and services
- Negotiated rates: What the hospital charges different insurance plans
- Cash prices: What uninsured patients pay
- Minimum and maximum: The range of negotiated charges for each service
What You Can Do
- • Compare prices between hospitals
- • Check if you were overcharged
- • See what your insurance negotiated rate should be
- • Contact hospitals directly if you can't find price information
Limitations
- • Price files are large and complex
- • Prices may not match your actual bill exactly
- • Files don't show your specific insurance benefits
- • Some hospitals make files hard to find
How to Use Price Files
- Find your hospital's price file using the search above
- Download the file (usually CSV, JSON, or Excel format)
- Search for your CPT/HCPCS code from your bill
- Compare the published price with what you were charged
- If prices don't match, contact the hospital's billing department
- If you can't find price information, contact the hospital's billing department first
What to Do If Prices Don't Match
1. Contact Hospital Billing
Call the hospital's billing department and ask why the charge on your bill doesn't match the published price. They may be able to explain the difference or adjust the charge.
2. Check Your Insurance
The published price may be the "standard charge," but your insurance may have a different negotiated rate. Check your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) to see what your insurance actually paid.
3. Understand Your Rights
Federal law requires hospitals to publish their prices. If you've contacted the hospital and still can't find price information, you can learn more about price transparency requirements and your rights through CMS resources. Use the link in the tool above to access CMS information.
Need More Help?
If you're struggling to understand your medical bills or find price transparency information, OrbDoc can help you navigate the process and understand your options.