SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A new federal rule requires hospitals across the country to post an online list of the cost of their standard services.
Jay Roszehart of Memorial Medical Center says it's all in an effort to promote price transparency, so patients know what certain medical services will cost.
“More of the insurance cost is being pushed onto individual people," Roszehart said. "People need to know what it costs.”
As of Jan. 1, people can find a comprehensive list of medical procedures on all hospital websites, including DMH, HSHS St. Mary's and Memorial Medical Center.
Area hospitals have almost 2,000 procedures listed on them, but they aren't in any particular order. They aren't alphabetized or put into a certain category - rather, they are organized by CPT codes.
“The problem is, it's hard to understand the different charges and procedures and how does that interplays with insurance," Roszehart aid.
According to Roszehart, CPT codes are codes put out by the American Medical Association.
Even though the lists are aimed at being beneficial to patients, when insurance and other factors are accounted for, prices can change or even increase.
“This was a good first step, but it's only a first step and it’s not a particularly useful first step," Roszehart said. "The charges are exactly what an individual will see.”
