The problem with transparency at the hospital level is the CPT coding system, for which all medical entities including the govt pay the AMA millions of dollars

The problem with transparency at the hospital level is the CPT coding system, for which all medical entities including the govt pay the AMA millions of dollars to use, which splits up exams and procedures into components. So even though the knee MRI might cost $1600 (ridiculous but typical), that does not include the radiologist's interp, billed separately by the rad group, or the $300 orbit xray to screen for metal. Also anesthesia is paid based on time, cannot predict that. It is all a sham. And, they can get out of it for a $300 a day fine....well worth it to most of them.