Hospital pricing

Hospital pricing refers to an ongoing controversy about how much more hospitals charge self-paying or uninsured patients compared to patients having insurance or being in government programs like Medicare or Medicaid.

Beginning in 2007, a new law in New York called Manny's Law prohibits hospitals from charging uninsured, lower middle class patients more than the best rates.

Also beginning in 2007, a new law in California (AB 774 (Chan)) prohibits charging patients making under 350% of the federal poverty level ($58,100 for a three-member family) more than the Medicare, Medi-Cal or worker’s compensation rate. This law also suspends certain collection actions against low-income patients.