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What an Uninsured Patient Should Ask a Florida Hospital Before Surgery

Use the free tool — Hospital Price Lookup

Before you say yes to a surgery date

If you are uninsured or paying cash, you have real rights before a scheduled surgery, scan, delivery or procedure in Florida. Say what's being done, where, and how you'll pay — the goal is a price in writing before the day of care, not a guess.

Your right to a price in writing

• Every hospital must post its prices — cash and negotiated — and a list of shoppable services (CMS — Hospital Price Transparency).
• Because you are uninsured or self-pay, federal law entitles you to a Good Faith Estimate in writing before scheduled care — and you can dispute a bill that comes in $400 or more above it (CMS — Good Faith Estimates & dispute resolution).
• In Florida, the hospital must give you a personalized written estimate within 7 days of your request, must post its pricing information, and must tell you which providers (surgeon, anesthesia, pathology, imaging) may bill you separately (Fla. Stat. 395.301, flsenate.gov).

What to ask for, in writing

Send a written request — portal message, email to the billing or financial counseling department, or a letter. Ask for:

• The procedure name and CPT code, if your surgeon gave you one.
• The scheduled date and that you are self-pay.
• An estimate that covers facility, surgeon, anesthesia, pathology and imaging — not just the hospital's own charge.
• The hospital's self-pay discount and its financial-assistance (charity care) policy — nonprofit hospitals must have one.

Reading the hospital's published price file

Every hospital's file lists its cash price and negotiated rates for common services. Florida's own Health Price Finder shows average amounts hospitals and surgery centers are typically paid for common procedures, by region (Florida Health Price Finder, AHCA). Use these as a starting point for planning — not as the final number. Your written estimate from the hospital is what matters.

If the bill is higher than the estimate

• If your final bill is $400 or more above your Good Faith Estimate, you can use the patient-provider dispute resolution process, within 120 days of the bill, for a small fee (CMS — Good Faith Estimates & dispute resolution).
• If a hospital won't post its prices or won't give you an estimate at all, you can report it to CMS (CMS — Hospital price transparency complaint).

Never delay or skip care your doctor says you need in order to save money. This guide is not medical, legal or financial advice — confirm every number and every deadline with the hospital, CMS, or AHCA.

What to do next

Use the free tool to say your procedure and hospital. It reads your own numbers and your own document — the estimate you receive, or the hospital's price file — and shows you where to look, what to ask for, and what the law lets you do if the bill doesn't match. Nothing you paste is stored.

Hospital Price Lookup explains federal and Florida price-transparency and estimate rights in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not medical, legal or financial advice. It does not state prices. Confirm with the hospital, your insurer, CMS or AHCA. Nothing you paste is stored.