Standard Charges

Each hospital is required to make available to the public a list of the hospital’s current standard charges. To access Henry County Health Center’s standard charges, please click here. The list includes the charge for each item and service, as it is represented in the hospital’s chargemaster.

Patients also have rights and protections against surprise medical bills. Click here for more information.

Facts regarding hospital pricing

Please remember that in addition to the list of standard charges, additional information is necessary to fully understand how and why hospitals price certain services. The following information is helpful in explaining charges:

General Facts:

• Hospital charge data is being provided as part of a federal regulatory policy mandated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

• Hospital charge data is not representative of a patient’s expected out-of-pocket costs. Because each patient’s case is different based on specific medical conditions, the actual amount owed by a patient will depend on that patient’s insurance coverage.

• Hospital charge data is the amount a hospital bills an insurer for a service. In the vast majority of cases, however, hospitals are reimbursed by insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid at a rate that is considerably less than the amount charged.

• Patients should talk with their insurance provider to understand which costs will be covered, and which will be the patient’s responsibility.

• Hospital charges can include unlisted procedures, services, supplies, and tests as well as any fees associated with services, such as equipment fees and room charges.

Facility Charges vs. Patient Out-of-Pocket Financial Obligations

The amount a facility bills for a patient’s care is known as the “charge.” This is not the same as the actual cost or amount paid for the care. The amount collected by a hospital for each service is almost always less than the amount billed.

Differences in charges across hospitals

There are many reasons that charges may differ among hospitals. Among them are the following: payer mix, facility cost structures, new technology, staffing costs, intensity of care, range of services provided, service frequency, documentation, capital expenses.

If you have questions about your hospital bill, please contact HCHC’s Patient Financial Services at 319-385-6142.