Pricing Transparency
Archbold Medical Center, Inc. makes its charges for services available to the public free of charge. For more information about the cost of your care, please contact us at 229-228-2816. Your request will be fulfilled within 3 business days from the date of your request.
chargemaster faqs
The information provided is the hospital’s chargemaster detail. This information is not the best tool for you to comparison shop between hospitals or to estimate what health care services are going to cost you out of your own pocket.
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 your insurance company, Medicare, or Medicaid, and those insurers then apply their contracted rates to the services that are billed.
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 your insurance plan indicates that you are responsible for 20% of the contract rate, you would owe $140 ($700 x 20%).
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 you to recover in the hospital
- Whether the service or procedure you receive is more or less difficult than expected
- What kinds of medications you require
- Whether you experience complications and need additional treatment
- Other health conditions you may have that may affect your care
What is not included in the chargemaster list?
The hospital’s chargemaster does not include 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:
- Any physician involved in your care if he/she sees you in the hospital
- The surgeon who performs your procedure
- The anesthesiologist who works with the surgeon
- The radiologist who reads your X-rays or other imaging
- The pathologist who examines specimens, if applicable
- Other doctors who may by consulted by your doctor during your time in the hospital
Please consult with your insurance provider to understand your insurance coverage, deductible, co-payments, co-insurance, out of pocket maximums, etc., so that you can make an informed decision about your care and expenses.