Anticipating hospital charges can be challenging.

While health care consumers are more engaged than ever before and asking for information about pricing and out-of-pocket costs for health care services, providers can’t always offer a simple, standard price. However, Vidant Health (ECU Health) is committed to sharing information that will help you make informed decisions about your health care services and options.

Hospital charges vary based on patient needs and the level of services required. A wide range of products and services may be bundled into the price of a particular hospital service, including medications, supplies, tests and more. Differences in medications, tests and the length of patient stay are all impacted by your unique medical condition as well as the physician providing treatment, and can significantly impact hospital pricing.

Reimbursements by third-party payors can vary from patient to patient based on payment mandates by different insurance carriers, health plans and government payers such as Medicare and Medicaid. The amount of a patient’s personal financial responsibility will depend on your specific insurance coverage. All of these factors combine to make specific advance pricing information difficult to provide on an individual basis.

Hospital charges should be considered a starting point for comparing costs of care between hospitals. You should also talk with your insurance carrier to understand which costs will be covered and what the patient’s responsibility will be.

We realize that the costs of health care may present a financial hardship to some patients and families. We have financial counselors who can assist you and determine if you qualify for Medicaid or other government-assisted programs, as well as our own financial assistance programs. Department of Social Services employees are on site at some Vidant (ECU Health) facilities.

Please visit the North Carolina Hospital Association website for more information on pricing at North Carolina hospitals.