Understanding Healthcare Prices: A Consumer Guide

If you’re like many Americans, you don’t know what an emergency department visit or an operation costs until a bill from a healthcare provider or a letter from your health insurance plan comes in the mail. We realize this uncertainty can be stressful and can make it hard to plan your personal or household finances. That’s why HFMA developed this guide. This guide can help you if:

• You want to know where to get answers to your questions about healthcare prices
• You would like to compare prices for a particular service among providers
• You want to better understand, plan, and manage your out-of-pocket healthcare costs
• You are covered by a high-deductible health plan