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At University of Maryland Medical System, we are committed to transparency about the cost of your health care in our hospitals. These resources can help you understand those costs and answer any questions you might have.

Getting an Estimate for an Outpatient Visit, Procedure or Surgery

For the most accurate estimate of the cost of care, select from the options below.

  1. Call us at 410-821-4140 for a guided estimate of your upcoming services.
  2. View Standard Hospital Charges
  3. View Frequently Scheduled Services

Understanding Your Estimate

  • Estimates are based upon average charges for procedures and services without complications, which cannot be reasonably predicted at this time.
  • Estimates are not a quote nor a guarantee of the charges for a service or the amount that you will owe. Your charges may vary based on your situation, the time the procedure takes, other care required based on your medical needs and your insurance coverage, if you have it.
  • You may also receive bills from other medical specialty services that you use during your visit with us, including physician charges, anesthesiology charges, radiologist reading fees and pathologist fees. Charges from these medical specialists will be billed separately to you.

Insurance Coverage and Out-Of-Pocket Costs

If you have insurance, your insurance policy coverage (including deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance and out-of-pocket maximums) will determine the amount you owe. You may be responsible for other payments that your insurance requires. This is not reflected in the estimate provided by UMMS, which is for self-pay costs.

Your out-of-pocket costs can vary based on:

  • The actual services provided to you based on your physician's treatment choices and your personal health care needs.
  • Your insurance co-pay amount for your specific plan.
  • Your insurance deductible or co-insurance and whether you have met the deductible for the current year.

The estimated cost is not a guarantee of insurance coverage. Please check with your insurance company if you need help understanding what your insurance covers for the services chosen. The phone number to call to reach your insurance company can be found on the back of your insurance card.

Financial Assistance

Financial help for your portion of the hospital bill may be available. If you need financial help, please contact Customer Service at 410-821-4140 or see our Financial Assistance page.

Hospital Charges

To improve price transparency, all U.S. hospitals and health systems are required to provide lists of hospital charges so patients can compare prices across hospitals. We have included two separate views of our prices:

1. Standard Hospital Charges (Chargemaster)

Listed below are a few considerations to keep in mind as you view the list of standard hospital charges, commonly known as the "Chargemaster."

  • View Standard Hospital Charges:
  • The chargemaster lists the dollar amount set for each service. In Maryland, the average prices for hospital services (e.g., radiology, laboratory, intensive care daily rate) are regulated by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC). Each UMMS hospital has its own set of rates.
  • The HSCRC sets average hospital prices on January 1 and July 1 of every year. University of Maryland Medical System will post this information shortly thereafter. Even though the state sets hospital prices by a certain date, hospital charges can change during the year. Charges on individual hospital bills may be different from the charges posted here.
  • Variations in prices across hospitals does not provide any indication of quality of service and outcomes.
  • Hospital charges posted on this site do not include charges for physician services, often called professional fees, which are separate from the hospital bill. Examples include physician charges, anesthesiology charges, radiologist reading fees and pathologist fees.

2. Prices for Frequently Scheduled Services (Shoppable Services)

All hospitals and health systems are required to post a list of 300 frequently scheduled services, known as Shoppable Services, along with the corresponding prices for each.

Each of these services includes the prices set by the HSCRC and a discount price for those who meet the requirements for an early-pay discount of 2 percent, which is offered to self-pay patients and is established and regulated by the State of Maryland.

The list of shoppable services includes charges for multiple chargemaster services, and therefore may not be comparable to any single chargemaster item.

As with the list of standard hospital charges discussed above, the prices on the primary care commonly scheduled procedures list represent the standard amount for each service prior to insurance discounts or self-pay discounts being applied. What a patient actually pays will depend on their unique benefit plan terms.

Average Charges by Type of Patient Group

All hospitals and health systems are also required to provide a listing of average charges by types of patient groups, referred to as MS-DRGs (Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups). Patients can view similar listings posted by different hospitals, which provide a more direct comparison of charges than the standard charges in the chargemaster. View the list of average charges by type of patient group (MS-DRGs) for inpatient admissions and for common outpatient services.

Each University of Maryland Medical System affiliated hospital provides a list of average charge per case of frequently occurring inpatient diagnoses and outpatient procedures. Costs will vary based on individual patient cases and treatments.

Charges for COVID-19 Testing

Visit Charges for COVID-19 Testing to view prices for COVID-19 testing, and insurance and billing information.

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