KPCC launches searchable database of California health care costs by hospital

Chris Keller

Published Jun 10, 2013 3:15 PM

Nurse Allison Miller (L) checks the blood pressure of Keri Anderson as nurses and physicians give free basic health screenings and call attention to what they say is the ongoing healthcare emergency despite the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Affordable Care Act, on July 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Three days of free screenings in the Los Angeles area are part of the Medicare for All tour which is making up to two dozen stops across California between June 19 and July 12. The California Nurses Association says that 30 percent of Los Angeles County adults are uninsured and 18 percent cannot afford doctor visits

KPCC has created this searchable database that will allow you to compare the costs of the 100 most frequently billed procedures paid under Medicare in 2011, which you can view by hospital or as a statewide average.

It's based on data released in May by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a way to make it easier for patients to comparison shop for hospital services by price.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the data. Agency officials touted it as a way to make hospitals more accountable for inflated billing procedures that result in wide price variations among facilities.

For instance, the list shows that if you suffer kidney failure with major complications, the bill could be as much as $241,000 at Garfield Medical Center in Monterey Park, or as little as $32,000 at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.

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KPCC launches searchable database of California health care costs by hospital

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