Clinical worker talking with male patient

Paying for Your Stay

Pennsylvania hospitals believe that patients and their families should have as much information as they can get to make the best decisions about their care and to be protected from the financial burdens of unexpected medical bills.

Though insurers are in the best position to help patients understand what is considered in network or out of network, everyone providing health care services has a role to play in helping consumers navigate the complicated health care delivery system.

Hospitals are working to help patients understand their financial responsibility by:

  • Offering a special help-line number for billing/pricing questions
  • Having patient advocates and financial counselors on-hand to meet with families in person or via telephone call
  • Providing cost estimator tools to estimate out-of-pocket costs
  • Holding educational sessions about paying for hospital services

Patients also can use the price estimators and provider network information at health plan websites and talk to their provider about quality, value, and cost treatment options.



HAP News


June 12, 2026

Pennsylvania Fiscal Watchdog Flags Medicaid Losses

Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) says Medicaid coverage losses due to last year’s federal budget reconciliation (H.R. 1) have already started, forcing hospitals to absorb more uncompensated care.

June 11, 2026

Why Hospitals are ‘Critical Infrastructure’ for Pennsylvania Communities

Hospitals are vital community anchors that communities depend on to thrive. That was the resounding message from a panel of statewide leaders who came together during HAP’s Leadership Summit last week to discuss the implications of hospital financial distress for Pennsylvanians and their communities.

June 10, 2026

Penn State Nurses Aid Recruitment by Sharing their Passion, Stories

Responding to the ongoing needs of our members, HAP hosted a Workforce Summit that brought together clinical, administrative, and workforce leaders from across Pennsylvania to learn and share best practices for developing and engaging health care teams. We’re highlighting some of the innovative ways Pennsylvania hospitals are addressing the workforce crisis.

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center developed the Registered Nurse (RN) Ambassadors Program to address nursing workforce shortages through peer leadership, engagement, and recruitment by bedside nurses themselves.

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