Hospital Pricing Information

West Suburban Medical Center Pricing Information

Hospitals have a charge for each service provided: each test or medication ordered by your physician, time in surgery, each day spent in the hospital, etc. While charges are often similar for patients with the same condition, the specific services needed and the associated charges are likely to differ. Some of the factors that may make the total charge for your service higher or lower than the average patient include:

• How long it takes you to recover in the hospital
• Whether the surgical procedure is more or less difficult than expected
• What kinds of medication you require
• Whether you encounter complications and require additional treatment
• Other conditions you may have in addition to what you are being treated for that may affect your treatment plan

While it is impossible to completely predict what the final charges for care will be, the information provided can help to give you an idea of how it all works.

It is important to understand that you may receive a bill from the hospital and separate bills from physicians and other health care providers involved in your care. Be sure to talk with your physician and any other provider who will be treating you about their charges. The following is a partial list of other providers who may bill you separately:

• Your personal physician if he or she follows your care in the hospital
• The surgeon who performs your procedure
• The anesthesiologist who works with the surgeon
• The radiologist who reads your X-rays
• Other physician specialists who may be consulted by your physician during the course of your care
• If laboratory tests cannot be performed in the hospital and are taken to a laboratory outside of the hospital, then you will also receive a separate bill from the outside laboratory.

The services that you receive will depend on what your doctor orders. If you are admitted as an inpatient, you can expect to see charges of the following types:

• Room and board. These charges will vary by the level of care provided. For example, charges will be different for a day in intensive care versus general medical or surgical care, labor and delivery, etc.
• Operating room, recovery room, and anesthesia if surgery was performed
• Laboratory testing
• Radiology exams
• Medical supplies
• Pharmaceuticals

It is important to note that all medical services provided to you in the hospital must be ordered by your physician and will be recorded in your medical record.

The amount you pay for your service also will depend upon which, if any, insurance plan is covering your care and how your benefits are structured. Insurer contracts with the hospital determine what price will be paid for your care. Additionally, you may have a deductible that must be met before your insurance covers the cost of care, and/or you may be liable for paying a flat dollar copayment or a percentage of the cost of any services provided (coinsurance.)

It is also important to know whether your hospital and physician(s) are part of your insurance company’s health care network. If you seek care out of network, you will likely be liable for a greater share of the cost of your care. We recommend that you check with your health insurance plan to verify whether the providers involved in your care are in their network.

Consider other resources that may be available in making your health care decisions. Check with your employer and your health plan to see if there are other tools that can help you estimate the amount you will pay for care given different provider choices. These tools often incorporate current information on your financial obligations in terms of deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Also, some states have public resources such as websites that offer price estimates or average prices for common tests or procedures.