Since 2021, hospitals are legally required to post their prices online. In practice, finding these files takes some digging — but the information is there. Here's how to find it and what to do with it.

Method 1: Hospital price transparency files

Every hospital that accepts Medicare must publish a machine-readable file with all standard charges. To find it:

  1. Go to the hospital's website
  2. Search for "price transparency," "standard charges," or "chargemaster"
  3. Download the CSV or JSON file — it will contain chargemaster prices AND negotiated rates by payer
  4. Search by CPT code (procedure code) for your specific service

The negotiated rates by payer are especially valuable — they show what your insurer actually pays, not just the inflated list price.

Method 2: Third-party price tools

Several tools aggregate hospital price data and make it more searchable:

  • BillKarma — look up any CPT code against the Medicare rate and see how your hospital's charge compares
  • RAND Hospital Price Transparency — research tool comparing commercial rates across hospitals
  • Turquoise Health — consumer tool for searching negotiated rates by hospital and insurer
  • CMS.gov — official Medicare rates searchable by CPT code and geography

Method 3: Ask the hospital directly

For scheduled (non-emergency) procedures, you have the right to a Good Faith Estimate under the No Surprises Act. Call the hospital's billing department and ask:

  • "What CPT code will be used for this procedure?"
  • "What is your self-pay or cash-pay rate for this procedure?"
  • "Can I get a Good Faith Estimate in writing?"

Many hospitals have a separate self-pay rate that's 30–60% lower than the chargemaster. You have to ask — it's not offered automatically.

Using Medicare rates as your benchmark

The Medicare rate is the most reliable benchmark for judging whether a hospital price is fair. Look up the Medicare rate for any CPT code on BillKarma, then apply this rule of thumb:

  • Under 2x Medicare: fair price
  • 2–3x Medicare: typical / acceptable
  • 3–5x Medicare: high — negotiate or look for alternatives
  • Over 5x Medicare: very high — strong grounds for negotiation or dispute

What to do with the price information

  1. Get quotes from 2–3 hospitals if the procedure is non-emergency. Prices for the same procedure at hospitals in the same city can vary by 5–10x.
  2. Call your insurer to verify the facility is in-network and get your estimated cost-sharing before scheduling.
  3. Negotiate upfront. If you can pay at time of service, many hospitals offer 10–20% discounts.
  4. After the procedure, audit the itemized bill against the quoted CPT codes to make sure you were only billed for what was discussed.
Bottom line: Hospital prices are public — you just have to know where to look. Find the Medicare rate for your procedure, compare the hospital's price, and negotiate before the visit if you're uninsured or using the bill as leverage.