Due to some new federal rules requiring the prices to be public for various services at hospitals, Mainers can now find what they're going to have to pay for a hospital visit with just a click of the mouse according to the Press Herald..

On January 1st the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires all hospitals to post their service prices, much like a sticker price at a car dealership. And they mus be easy to download, read and understand, and have to include current charges for all services and items, including medications, provided by the hospital. Naturally these prices could be incorrect for patients with certain circumstances such as insurance coverage.

According to the article, hospitals in Maine began posting their prices online this week and can be found by going to the hospital's website and clicking on patient, or billing information and look for estimates, like this example from Maine Medical Center.

 

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