Louisiana Hospital Inform -

What is Louisiana Hospital Inform?

Louisiana Hospital Inform is a consumer-friendly website that provides useful quality and pricing information on Louisiana hospitals to serve as a factual starting point for more informed discussion with your hospital, physician or insurance company.

Why would I need this information? How is it useful to me?

This information is useful to provide facts about hospitals when you need healthcare services, if you are new to the area or if you are choosing a new healthcare plan. Louisiana Hospital Inform provides:

Pricing data on the most common inpatient and outpatient services
Extensive quality measures
Demographic information, services offered and contact numbers for hospitals

Who compiled this data?

All the data on this website was collected by the American Hospital Directory, an independent source, and was not modified in any way.

Where does the individual hospital data come from?

The pricing information comes from MedPAR data and Medicare cost reports. The quality information comes from Hospital Quality Alliance data, which is also located on the Hospital Compare website at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.

What is MedPAR data?

MedPAR data, which is short for Medicare Provider Analysis and Review, is information abstracted from the UB04 billings for Medicare. Thus, the only population represented in the data is the Medicare population. (A UB04 is a common claim form used by a hospital to bill for services provided to a patient.)

What is a Medicare cost report?

The Medicare cost report is an annual report required of all institutions participating in the Medicare program. The Medicare cost report records each institution's total costs and charges associated with providing services to all patients, the portion of those costs and charges allocated to Medicare patients, and the Medicare payments received.

What is Hospital CAHPS®?

The intent of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems® Hospital Survey, also known as Hospital CAHPS® or HCAHPS, is to introduce a standardized survey instrument and data collection methodology for measuring and publicly reporting patients' perspectives of hospital care. While many hospitals collect information on patient satisfaction, until the HCAHPS initiative there has been no national standard for collecting or publicly reporting information that would allow valid comparisons to be made across hospitals.

What if I don't know the meaning of a term used on this website?

Visit the definitions page on this website.

What if I can't find my hospital?

Make sure the name of the facility is spelled correctly. If so, broaden the search to parish or region.

What is the Hospital's Charge Range? Is this how much I will pay?

Because there are so many variables that factor into the cost of a particular service and every patient represents a unique case, charge ranges are displayed to provide a reasonable estimate on what it might cost for a particular service. The charge range is a summary of average charges for patients based on actual billing information during a recent twelve month period. Average hospital charges for a Base MS-DRG or APC are reported as well as the "Higher" and "Lower" ends of the range representing about 68% of all patients. (Statistically, this is referred to as +/- one standard deviation from the mean.) These ranges are provided for comparison purposes only.

Always remember that the charge for your services will be based on individual circumstances surrounding your treatment, your insurance deductibles and co-pays, and your ability to pay. For specific information on your cost estimate, please contact your healthcare provider and/or insurance company directly.

What if I have insurance?

Commercial insurers usually do not pay hospital charges. They negotiate discounts with hospitals on behalf of the patients they represent. These negotiated discounts vary amongst commercial insurers. Furthermore, numerous factors, such as the type of plan, the co-pay amount, the co-insurance amount, deductible, out-of-pocket maximums, provider network and other limitations will affect the individual's financial responsibility to a hospital. Therefore, it is crucial that you begin by talking to your insurance company to understand all of the factors affecting your financial responsibility.

What if I have Medicaid?

Medicaid does not pay hospital charges, but pays hospitals in accordance with a set fee schedule that represents a significant discount from hospital billed charges. Generally, Medicaid recipients are not responsible for any portion of the bill. For more information about the Medicaid program, please contact your local Medicaid office or the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) at 1-888-544-7996, or visit the LDH website.

What if I have Medicare?

Medicare does not pay hospital charges. Medicare has a set fee schedule that represents a discount from hospitals' billed charges. Medicare will pay for many of your healthcare expenses, but not all of them. There are also special rules that apply if you have employer group health insurance coverage through your own job or the employment of a spouse.

The best information on the Medicare Program is the Medicare Handbook. This booklet explains how the Medicare program works and what your benefits are. To order a free copy, write to: Health Care Financing Administration, Publications, N1-26-27, 7500 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21244-1850. You can also contact your local Social Security office for information.

What if I do not have insurance?

For patients who do not have insurance, hospitals typically have financial assistance programs for patients who qualify. Contact your hospital to determine if you qualify for any programs they may offer.

What is Medicaid?

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that helps with medical costs for some people with low incomes and limited resources.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is a health insurance program for people age 65 or older or under 65 years of age with certain disabilities, or End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant).

What is the difference between an inpatient and outpatient procedure?

An inpatient procedure requires a patient who is admitted to a hospital for treatment to stay at least one night, and an outpatient procedure allows the patient to go home the same day he or she was treated.