Hospitals’ Chargemasters Coming Under Increasing Scrutiny As Costs Skyrocket
The chargemaster, a list detailing the official rate charged by a hospital for individual procedures, services and goods, is often kept in relative secrecy and is not regulated.
Modern Healthcare:
Stricter Chargemaster Regulations Needed To Rein In Healthcare Costs
After a three-hour visit to the emergency room, a young girl left with a headache and a $4,875 bill. A Southern California hospital charged the girl and her family three times the fair and customary price for a CT scan — about $2,000 — to see if the girl's fall caused head trauma, according to Lisa Berry Blackstock, a patient advocate the family hired to negotiate a lower fee. The family's high-deductible health plan meant they had to cover the entire cost. (Kacik, 4/19)