Frequently Asked Questions

If you have other questions, or would simply like to drop us a line, please feel free to contact us at any time.

• Why did you create this site?
  
  We are big believers in transparency within our healthcare system, and medical billing is one of the most confusing and misunderstood issues. It is our goal for the site to present massive amounts of data in easily digestible formats. We think patients requiring, or even contemplating, medical procedures should be as educated as possible, and understanding billing a bit more can help with that education.
• Where does the data originate from on the site?
  
  On May 8, 2013, the Health and Human Services department released a very large data file to the general public. We were able to parse the data and use it to present the reports you find on our site.
• Can you give a brief overview of the data on the site?
  
  The general concept for the reports you will find on HospitalOwl.com is to show a few key pieces of information:

  • The total number of patients
  • The average amount billed by the hospital
  • The amount of money Medicare actually reimbursed the hospital for their bill
  • The difference between the reimbursed and billed amount

  This information can be used to make certain assumptions and comparisons. While you need to keep in mind that the specific procedures and numerous other factors vary across each hospital and patient, aggregating enough statistically relevant data can reveal trends. We do not make any conclusions ourselves on HospitalOwl.com, we simply provide the data.
• Is there any charge to use HospitalOwl.com?
  
  No, there is no charge. All of the data comes from the United States government and is available to anybody to download. We have simply taken that data and processed it into more useful formats.
• Can I reproduce the reports used on HospitalOwl.com?
  
  Sure, please contact us and we will help coordinate usage of our reports.