Costs and Charges
Healthcare Cost Transparency and Affordability
Sutter Health supports healthcare cost transparency to help consumers make informed decisions about their care. As part of this effort, Sutter Health annually publishes hospital chargemaster information and provides a cost estimator tool for commonly used services in medical offices such as lab tests, office visits or x-rays.
Teams across our integrated network work every day to ensure the highest quality patient care while always looking for way to be more affordable. We share best practices, adopt new technologies and responsibly manage resources so that we deliver care as efficiently as possible to our patients and communities.
Cost Estimator
Sutter’s Online Cost Estimator tool can be used to estimate the individual cost of more than 225 frequently used medical services provided by Sutter physician organizations. We anticipate launching a similar tool for Sutter hospital services soon.
Hospital Chargemaster
Download the hospital chargemaster file. Please note that the amounts reflected on the chargemaster file do not reflect the actual costs that insurance companies pay for medical services, nor do they reflect the discounts for which patients without insurance would be eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
OpenI have insurance, how can I find out the cost of a procedure at a Sutter hospital?
During a hospital visit, you may receive multiple services, medication and/or supplies. Therefore, if you have insurance, it is important that you contact your insurance carrier directly to understand the estimated cost of procedures. We encourage patients to research insurance benefits when selecting a plan to understand potential out-of-pocket costs, and to discuss concerns with our patient service center team and your insurance company in advance of procedures if possible. Our patient service team can be reached at: (855) 398-1639.
We also recognize that charges can vary based on the care setting. We encourage our patients to research options like walk-in care, urgent care or telemedicine options as they provide high-quality care and are often more affordable for certain procedures than the emergency department or hospital.
OpenI do not have insurance, how can I find out the cost of a procedure at a Sutter hospital?
Uninsured patients are eligible for discounts at Sutter facilities. Sutter hospital patients without insurance can apply for eligibility for Sutter’s financial assistance program, which offers patients without insurance access to free medical care if they earn equal to or less than 400% of the Federal Poverty Index Guidelines. Patients that earn more than 200% of the FPIG are also eligible for discounted care, and all uninsured patients are eligible for a standard 40% reduction of billed charges for inpatient services and 20% reduction of billed charges for outpatient services. For more information or to apply for financial assistance, please contact any Sutter hospital, or you can call (855) 398-1633.
OpenWhy are amounts on the chargemaster different than on my bill?
The amounts on the Chargemaster lists do not reflect the negotiated costs of procedures between insurance companies and care providers. The lists also do not reflect the discounts for which uninsured patients are eligible. We encourage you to contact our health insurance representative if you have specific questions related to potential out of pocket costs for care according to your insurance plan.
OpenHow can I find out how much a procedure or a set of tests might cost at my Sutter physicians’ offices?
We understand it is important for patients to know how much healthcare costs may be in advance of receiving services. That is why we developed a cost estimator as a resource to help inform patients about costs for frequently used health care services provided by Sutter physician organizations such as office visits, lab tests or X-rays. You can access the cost estimator here or through your My Health Online portal.
In 2020, we anticipate launching a tool similar to the cost estimator for professional services to help inform patients about frequently used services within Sutter hospital facilities.
Disclaimer
Please check with your health plan if you need help understanding your benefits for the service chosen. Note that uninsured patients may be eligible for discounts.