Healthcare Disclaimer

Understanding Ads on Our Site

• Ads are paid placements — Advertisements displayed on ExploreCarePricing are purchased by companies and are not medical endorsements or recommendations
• Ads are not reviewed by Rachel or clinical staff — Ad content is selected and served by ad networks, not by our team
• Ads do not represent our views — Display of an ad does not mean we endorse, recommend, or approve any product, service, or treatment
• Do not make healthcare decisions based on ads — Marketing claims in advertisements should not influence your medical or provider choices

Ad Networks & Your Data

ExploreCarePricing uses Google AdSense and may use other third-party ad networks. These services:

• Use cookies and tracking technologies to serve personalized ads
• Collect information about your browsing activity
• May show you ads across other websites based on your visit to ExploreCarePricing

We've restricted our ad inventory to health and wellness-related categories. Ad filtering is managed by Google, and occasional misclassified ads may still appear — if you spot one, let us know at support@explorecarepricing.com.

For details on how ads use your data, see our Privacy Policy.

Your Ad Preferences

You can:

• Opt out of personalized ads: https://www.google.com/settings/ads
• Disable cookies in your browser settings
• Use private/incognito browsing mode to prevent tracking

Note: Opting out does not eliminate ads; it only reduces personalization.

ExploreCarePricing sources pricing data from publicly available hospital transparency files, including official chargemasters and CMS machine-readable files (MRFs). While we work diligently to present accurate information, there are inherent limitations:

• Data Freshness: Hospital pricing files are updated on varying schedules—some hospitals update monthly, while others update quarterly or less frequently. The prices shown on ExploreCarePricing may not reflect changes made after a hospital's pricing file was last published. We recommend verifying current pricing directly with your provider before scheduling care.
• Completeness: Not all hospitals publish complete pricing information for every procedure, service, or supply item. Some hospitals provide limited transparency, which may affect price availability on our platform.
• Interpretation: Hospital pricing files can be complex and use different coding systems. Our interpretation of procedure codes, service bundles, and pricing categories may differ from actual billing practices at your specific hospital.
• Regional Variations: Prices vary significantly by location, facility type, hospital system, and market conditions. The same procedure may cost substantially different amounts at different facilities.

Under the No Surprises Act (effective January 1, 2022), you have protections against surprise bills from out-of-network providers in most emergency and non-emergency situations. These protections include:

• Protection from surprise bills for emergency services even if providers are out-of-network
• Right to request a Good Faith Estimate before non-emergency care
• Limitation on out-of-network bills when receiving care at in-network facilities

For more information about your rights under the No Surprises Act, visit the official Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) resources:

https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises

Before scheduling any healthcare service, we strongly recommend that you:

1. Contact the hospital or facility directly to confirm current pricing for your specific procedure and circumstances.
2. Request a written estimate that includes all expected charges (facility fees, physician fees, anesthesia, supplies, etc.).
3. Call your insurance company to verify coverage, network status, and your estimated out-of-pocket responsibility.
4. Ask about payment options including cash discounts, payment plans, and financial assistance programs.
5. Compare multiple providers and consider factors beyond price, including quality, convenience, and your physician's recommendations.
6. Check pre-authorization requirements — Some procedures require insurance approval before scheduling. Verify with both your insurer and the healthcare provider.

ExploreCarePricing data is for educational and informational purposes only. Healthcare providers should not rely on ExploreCarePricing data for:

• Billing, coding, or revenue cycle decisions
• Compliance with CMS or insurance regulations
• Contract negotiations with payers
• Financial or strategic planning

For official pricing information and compliance guidance, healthcare providers should consult their chargemasters, CMS resources, and payer contracts directly.

HIPAA & Healthcare Provider Notice

ExploreCarePricing does not solicit or knowingly collect Protected Health Information (PHI) through the Site's search and pricing tools. Hospital pricing data published to CMS is de-identified and aggregated. (Note: if a user voluntarily includes health-related details in a direct message to support@explorecarepricing.com, that correspondence is handled per our Privacy Policy and is not part of our automated data collection.) Providers using ExploreCarePricing for educational or comparative purposes generally would not be engaging in HIPAA-covered activity through that use; however, HIPAA applicability depends on the specific circumstances of use, and providers should consult their own compliance counsel for a definitive determination.

We review this disclaimer regularly and update it when regulations change, our services evolve, or data sources are modified. The Effective Date at the top of this page reflects the version currently in force. When we make significant changes, we update the Effective Date.

Continued use of ExploreCarePricing after any updates to this disclaimer means you accept the updated terms. We encourage you to review this disclaimer periodically to stay informed of any changes.