As of Jan. 1, 2019, hospitals are required to publish their standard charges online. Commonly referred to as hospital chargemasters, these lists provide standard charges for all items and services provided by a hospital, including procedures, medications, and supplies. While the publication of charges is intended to promote transparency, in reality, what a hospital is paid for a service is generally less than the standard charge. This infographic depicts factors that figure into the hospital payment system, including negotiations between the hospital and the insurer and the design of the patient’s health plan.
