Costs and Charges (Billing Rates)

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Information on Billed Charges and the Expected Cost to the Patient

Questions: (559) 409-7540
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kaweah Health understands there are many complexities with navigating health care pricing and, in particular, out-of-pocket costs to our patients. Our goal is for patients to understand what their out-of-pocket financial responsibility is for their care at Kaweah Health. It is important to note that for the most part, billed charges do not reflect the actual price a patient, or guarantor, will pay. For example, billed charges do not take into account any contracted rates with insurance plans or discounts a health care provider applies when a patient, or guarantor, pays in cash.

In order to accomplish this goal, we have established a direct phone number for you to call and speak to a knowledgeable representative, available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. Our friendly Patient Access representatives will assess your individual financial coverage and explain what this means to you and your estimated out-of-pocket financial responsibility.

Your specific financial responsibility will depend on many factors, including any insurance plan(s), or coverage, you may have active on the date of service.

Your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company. You should be familiar with the terms of your healthcare plan. Most plans do not provide 100% coverage for your hospital bill. You are responsible for co-payments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other charges not covered by your insurance plan. Most plans detail exclusions, services not covered, and plan maximums - please refer to your insurance plan document for specific details regarding what is covered and not covered under your insurance plan.

Here is what some of the frequently used insurance and billing terms mean:

Benefit

The amount of money your insurance plan pays for the health care services you receive.

Billed Charges

Billed Charges mean the total charges billed by a health care service provider. It shows the gross billed or retail price of services and does not represent the amount paid by the patient or the amount collected by the provider.

Kaweah Health’s published charge master is not the actual amount you will pay in financial obligation for any health care service because our charge master contains higher amounts before applicable discounts or negotiated rates are applied.

Claim

This is another word for a health care bill. It is sent to your insurance plan, and lists out all of the services you received.

Coinsurance

Some insurance plans cover a percentage of the costs of your care. For example, if your plan has 10% coinsurance for a service that costs $50, your insurance plan will pay $45 and you will pay $5.

Copay

A fixed amount paid by a patient for a covered service. Some insurance plans cover certain types of care at a set rate - also called a copay. For example, your plan may charge $25 per doctor visit or $50 for each day a patient is an inpatient in the hospital.

Deductible

A set amount you have to pay every year before your health insurance company starts paying. For example, if your health care service costs $5,000 and your plan’s annual deductible is $3,000, once you have paid that $3,000, your insurance plan will pay all or part of the remaining $2,000 (depending on what type of coverage your plan has). Most insurance plans have to cover some services (like check-ups) regardless of whether you have met your annual deductible already or not.

Fee Schedule

This is a list of charges for health care services. Insurance plans publish fee schedule lists representing the maximum charges (or prices) they will reimburse for the same services. In many instances, the reimbursement amount offered by insurance plans is less than what is charged by health care providers.

Premium

The amount that must be paid to the insurance plan to maintain the desired insurance plan coverage.

Kaweah Health’s Average Gross Billed Charges

Patient Access

It is Kaweah Health's goal to help you – our valued patient – better understand any out-of-pocket financial responsibility you may have when seeking health care services at Kaweah Health. In accordance with federal regulations at 45 C.F.R. § 180 and the definitions of standard charges included therein we have published a complete list of each of our hospital’s standard charges and a list of 300 of each of our hospital’s most common procedures and services, known as "shoppable services."

Available to be viewed here: Online Patient Estimation

Contact Us

It will be our pleasure to talk you through the process. Please call the Kaweah Health's Patient Access direct line, 559-409-7540, and speak to a knowledgeable representative, available 8am to 5pm, Monday - Friday.

*An important note is that typically billed charges do not reflect the actual price a patient, or guarantor, will pay. For example, billed charges do not take into account any contracted rates with insurance plans or discounts a health care provider applies when a patient, or guarantor, pays in cash.