The Variation of Chargemaster Price Listings for Urogynecologic Procedures

Authors

Saman Baban, From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Madison Kasoff, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT.
Amanda Kadesh, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abington-Jefferson Health, Abington, PA.
Richard Chaudhary, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Aiden Lui, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.
Jeanne Shi, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR.
Jai Ahluwalia, Department of Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.Follow
Michael White, Stern School of Business, New York University, New York, NY.Follow
Dobie Giles, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Timothy R. Petersen, Department of Anesthesiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.
Sarah Andiman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.
Cara L. Grimes, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY and Westchester Medical Center Health Network, Valhalla, NY.Follow

Author Type(s)

Faculty

DOI

10.1097/SPV.0000000000001426

Journal Title

Urogynecology

First Page

511

Last Page

518

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2024

Department

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: A 2018 Executive Order calling for price transparency required hospitals to publicly provide chargemasters, which are detailed lists of standard price listings for billable medical procedures. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate price listing variations in common urogynecology procedures. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study of chargemasters obtained between February and April 2020 from hospitals across 5 states chosen to reflect the diversity of health systems in the United States. Hospital characteristic and quality metric data were obtained from the Homeland Infrastructure Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services websites. Current Procedural Terminology codes and procedure names for 9 urogynecologic procedures were used to search each chargemaster and extract price listings. Price listings were compared with data on quality, population demographics, and hospital characteristics to determine if any significant relationships existed. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-four chargemasters were identified. Price listings for most procedures differed significantly across the 5 states, including colpocleisis, cystoscopy with chemodenervation, diagnostic cystoscopy, diverticulectomy, sacral neuromodulation, midurethral sling, and sacrospinous ligament fixation. Price listings were significantly higher in urban hospitals than rural hospitals for 6 procedures. No significant association was seen with price listing and quality measures for most procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Listed prices varied for several urogynecologic procedures. Some of this variation is associated with hospital characteristics such as urban setting. However, notably, price listing was not associated with quality. Further investigation of chargemaster price listings with hospital characteristics and quality metrics and with what is actually paid by patients is imperative for patients to navigate charges.

Recommended Citation

Baban, S., Kasoff, M., Kadesh, A., Chaudhary, R., Lui, A., Shi, J., Ahluwalia, J., White, M., Giles, D., Petersen, T. R., Andiman, S., & Grimes, C. L. (2024). The Variation of Chargemaster Price Listings for Urogynecologic Procedures. Urogynecology, 30 (5), 511-518. https://doi.org/10.1097/SPV.0000000000001426