Patient Price Information
If you would like more information about what your care will cost you or more information about our financial assistance policy, please contact one of our Patient Account Representatives at [email protected], call our direct line at 419-330-2669 option #2, or complete the online form to have a Representative contact you.
In compliance with federal law, Fulton County Health Center is providing this price list containing our charges. The hospital’s charges are the same for all patients, but a patient’s responsibility may vary, depending on payment plans negotiated with individual health insurers. Uninsured or underinsured patients should consult with our admitting and billing staff to determine whether they qualify for discounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS A CHARGEMASTER?
A chargemaster is a comprehensive list of charges for each inpatient and outpatient service or item provided by a hospital – each test, exam, surgical procedure, room charge, etc. Given the many services provided by hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week, a chargemaster contains thousands of services and related charges. Chargemaster amounts are almost never billed to a patient or received as payment by a hospital. The chargemaster amounts are billed to an insurance company, Medicare, or Medicaid, and those insurers then apply their contracted rates to the services that are billed. In situations where a patient does not have insurance or are under-insured, our hospital has financial assistance policies that apply discounts to the amounts charged. More information on our financial assistance policies can be found at https://www.fultoncountyhealthcenter.org/billing-and-insurance/financial-assistance/
Health insurance companies contract with hospitals to care for their customers. Hospitals are paid the insurance company’s contract rate, which generally is significantly less than the amount listed on the chargemaster. The insurance company’s contract rate, not the chargemaster, is the basis for determining the patient’s actual out of pocket costs. As an example, a hospital may charge $1,000 for a particular service, while the insurer’s contract rate may be $700. If the patient’s insurance plan indicates the patient is responsible for 20 percent of the contract rate, the patient would owe $140 ($700 x 20 percent).
ARE CHARGES THE SAME FOR EVERY PATIENT?
The list of charges is the same for all patients. However, the total charges for an individual patient often vary from one patient to another for a number of reasons, including:
- How long it takes to perform the service or how long it takes to recover in the hospital
- Whether the services or procedure you receive is more or less difficult than expected
- What kinds of medication you require
- Whether you experience complications and need additional treatment
- Other health conditions you may have that may affect your care
IS THE CHARGE THE SAME AS WHAT A PATIENT PAYS?
Chargemaster information is not particularly helpful for patients to estimate what health care services are going to cost them out of their own pocket.
The charge listed in the chargemaster is generally not the amount a patient will pay. If you have health insurance, the amount you will be billed and expected to pay for your services depends on your specific health insurance coverage and your health insurance company’s contract with the hospital.
If you do not have health insurance, you will receive a self-pay discount, you may be eligible for reduced costs under our financial assistance policy, and you may be eligible for Medicaid coverage.
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE CHARGEMASTER LIST?
The hospital’s chargemaster does not include the charges for services provided by the doctor (or doctors) who treat you while you are at the hospital. You may receive separate bills from the hospital and the doctors involved in your care.
Here is a partial list of health care providers who may bill you separately:
- Your personal doctor, if he/she sees you in the hospital
- The surgeon who performs your surgery
- The anesthesiologist who works with the surgeon
- The radiologist who reads your x-rays or other imaging
- Other doctors who may be consulted with by your doctor during your time in the hospital
- The emergency room doctor who sees you in the Emergency Room
- The pathologist who interprets your lab tests
WHERE CAN I FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HOSPITAL COSTS?
If you would like more information about the chargemaster, what your care will cost you or more information about our financial assistance policy, please contact one of our Patient Account Representatives at [email protected] or call our direct line at 419-330-2669 option #2, Monday-Friday 8AM to 4:30PM.
Please consult with your insurance provider to understand your insurance coverage, which charges will be covered, how much you will be billed, information on deductibles and your expected out-of-pocket responsibility.
Below is an explanation to help you better understand the words used when talking about your hospital bill.
Below is an example to illustrate the differences in comparing prices at facilities. Other factors also need to be considered in addition to price, including quality of images and location.
FULTON COUNTY HEALTH CENTER PATIENT FINANCIAL POLICY
It is the Financial Policy of Fulton County Health Center to maintain a viable healthcare facility, so as to meet the healthcare needs of the community. Therefore, it is the highest financial priority to collect all amounts for services rendered to every patient.
FCHC will provide claims to third party insurances as a courtesy for our patients. After all claims have been settled with third party insurance, all balances will be presented to the patient/guarantor for final resolution.
Financial assistance is available from both State Agencies, as well as Fulton County Health Center. Upon request, the hospital provides the patient/guarantor assistance in completing the applications for these programs.
All balances left unpaid are the responsibility of the patient/guarantor. Payment plans are available based on the following payment criteria:
Up to $100 – Balance paid within 30 days
$101 to $500 – Balance paid within 6 months
$501 to $1,000 – Balance paid within 10 months
$1,001 to $2,000 – Balance paid within 16 months
Above $2,000 – Balance paid within 24 months
As a final solution, FCHC utilizes collection agencies to assist in collecting all monies owed by the patient/guarantor, after all assistance described above has been exhausted. Interest may be charged to the patients balance after an account is in the legal collection process. Interest charges are determined by the collection agency, based on the cost to collect an account.
Below is a link to a tool that will allow you to compare the average out of pocket cost for Medicare patients.
CMS Procedure Payment Lookup Tool
The documents below provide pricing for all services provided at Fulton County Health Center. For a more detailed estimate please contact one of our Patient Account Representatives at [email protected], call our direct line at 419-330-2669 option #2, Monday-Friday 8AM to 4:30PM, or complete the online form to have a Representative contact you.
Below are documents providing a more in-depth explanation of healthcare pricing and the billing process.
Machine Readable Files (MRF) per No Surprises Act Legislation
https://www.medmutual.com/For-Employers/Employer-Resources/No-Surprises-Act-Legislation.aspx
