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Hospital Profile Psychiatric Hospital Voluntary non-profit - Private 309 Beds · urban Updated: 2026-03-27

McLean Hospital Corporation

115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 · 16 Priced Procedures

CMS Overall Rating No CMS Rating
Pillar 1 · The BaseRate™ CompositeHow 1.00× Fair BaseRate Works: Raw price averages unfairly penalize hospitals in high-wage cities or trauma centers treating sicker patients. We adjust for local CMS hospital wage levels and patient complexity first. A 1.00× score means right at the fair price average, 0.85× means 15% cheaper than fair market, and 1.30× means 30% above fair market.Good Deal · Below Fair Market
0.88×vs. Fair Market Price
Position vs. 1.00× Fair Price12% Below Fair Price 1.00× (center of the bar) is the U.S. fair price average after accounting for local hospital wages and patient complexity. Left of center (<1.00×) is below fair price; right of center (>1.00×) is above fair price.

Typical commercial prices here are 12% below the fair benchmark (0.88×) after accounting for local nurse/doctor wages and patient complexity.

Pillar 2 · VeriRate™ Data TrustHow VeriRate™ (0–100) Works: Hospitals are legally required to publish machine-readable price files, but some bury fake $0.01 numbers or omit cash discounts. VeriRate audits each file across 5 checks (hover any badge below to see what it tests).73/100 · Corroborated
73/100Self-Pay Cash Beats Insurance 22% of the Time
File Completeness55Provenance (File Completeness): Checks whether the hospital published a complete, up-to-date machine-readable price file with valid CPT and MS-DRG billing codes instead of leaving blanks.
Price Logic94Coherence (Price Logic): Checks whether the hospital’s numbers make basic sense — e.g., self-pay cash price is lower than gross list price, with no fake $0.01 or $999,999 placeholder numbers.
Peer Alignment71Concordance (Peer Alignment): Checks whether reported prices sit in a realistic range compared to Medicare and nearby hospitals rather than wild 100× unit errors.
Clean Billing45Regularity (Clean Billing): Checks whether rates are structured consistently across procedures without erratic statistical spikes or hidden unbundled facility fees.
Real Cash Discount100Cash Honesty (Real Cash Discount): Checks whether the hospital offers a genuine self-pay cash discount that beats or matches commercial insurance rates instead of billing full sticker price.
Pillar 3 · Clinical Quality & ER SpeedChecks whether higher hospital prices actually buy better clinical quality — combining CMS Star Ratings, hospital safety scores, and emergency room wait times.Regional Value Leader
CMS Star RatingNot RatedOfficial CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (1 to 5 stars) summarizing mortality, safety of care, readmissions, and patient experience.
Safety ScoreNot ScoredComposite patient safety score (0–100) derived from CMS hospital-acquired infection rates (CLABSI, CAUTI, MRSA, C. diff), surgical complications, and HCAHPS surveys.
Typical ER WaitNo ER DataMedian minutes patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, as reported to CMS Timely and Effective Care.

Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.

Behavioral Pricing FingerprintMedian-Gamed · High Captive Markup

Loss-Leader / Captive Ancillary Cross-Subsidizer

McLean Hospital Corporation prices routine shoppable procedures near 1.3× Medicare (p50 0.85×) while skewing captive emergency, lab, and upper-quartile codes to 2.1× Medicare (p75 1.10×, +29% upper-tail jump). Patients scheduling elective outpatient care can capture competitive rates, but emergency and ancillary bills require strict line-item auditing.

#3 of 53 in MA · 3rd State Percentile#546 of 3,385 in U.S. · 16th National Percentile
Advantage

Where They're Good (Patient & Payer Edge)

  • Elective shoppable care is priced 12% below peer Fair BaseRate (0.88×)
  • Self-pay cash beats commercial insurance on 22% of shoppable procedures (99/100 Cash Honesty)
  • CMS clinical safety score (54/100 safety score) with 72% patient recommendation
  • IRS 501(c)(3) charity care provides free care up to 200% FPL and discounted care up to 400% FPL (34.0% AGB cap)
Watchout

Where You Can Get Burned (Markup Traps)

  • Outpatient surgery & OR suites carry a 1.6× markup over Medicare rates
  • Captive ER (1.9×) & laboratory (2.5×) services average 1.62× higher multiples than routine shoppable care (1.3×)
  • Upper-quartile procedures (Q75 1.10×) jump +29% above the median procedure ratio (Q50 0.85×)
  • Unnegotiated chargemaster list prices average 3.9× Medicare (26¢ true HCRIS cost per $1 gross)
Front-Door ShoppableElective / Imaging
1.3× Medicare

Pre-scheduled outpatient procedures where patients can comparison-shop.

Back-Door Captive & ER1.62× Divergence
2.1× Medicare

Emergency, inpatient DRG, lab, and specialty drug lines billed after admission.

Quantile Tail Spread+29% Upper Tail
Q25 0.84× · Q50 0.85× · Q75 1.10×

Detects median-gaming when upper-quartile codes spike above the p50 median.

Select any lens to inspect department markups, federal cost accounting, or insurer discounts.
Department & Integrity Multiples (vs. CMS Medicare Cost Anchor) Green ≤1.3× · Teal 1.3–1.8× · Amber 1.8–2.5× · Rose >2.5×
Front-Door Shoppable CareFront-Door Shoppable
1.3× MedicareGood
Outpatient Surgery & ORBack-Door Captive
1.6× MedicareGood
Diagnostic Imaging (CT/MRI)Front-Door Shoppable
1.8× MedicareGood
Back-Door Captive ER VisitsBack-Door Captive
1.9× MedicareGood
Inpatient Lab & PathologyBack-Door Captive
2.5× MedicareFair
Specialty & Infusion Drugs (J-Codes)Back-Door Captive
1.5× MedicareGood
Self-Pay Cash Honesty & 501(r)Integrity & Outcomes
22% Cash Edge · 99/100Good
CMS Clinical Safety & Star ValueIntegrity & Outcomes
3 CMS · 54/100Elevated

Procedure Prices at McLean Hospital Corporation

High-impact clinical procedures (MRIs, surgeries, inpatient stays, visits) are prioritized first. Use the category pills or search bar to filter all 16 published procedures.

Sort:
Audit a Bill & 501(r) Cap ↓
Procedure & Billing Code This Hospital vs. Fair
MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
CPT Code: 70553
 $424 0.8×
Psychiatric evaluation (first visit)
CPT Code: 90791
 $341 1.8×
Office visit, established patient (30-39 min)
CPT Code: 99214
 $311 2.5×
Psychotherapy session (60 minutes)
CPT Code: 90837
 $299 1.7×
MRI, lower back (no contrast)
CPT Code: 72148
 $287 0.8×
MRI, brain (no contrast)
CPT Code: 70551
 $287 0.8×
Family therapy session
CPT Code: 90847
 $238 1.4×
Psychotherapy session (45 minutes)
CPT Code: 90834
 $219 1.3×
Neurobehavioral status check
CPT Code: 96116
 $218 0.9×
Office visit, established patient (20-29 min)
CPT Code: 99213
 $153 1.8×
Group therapy session
CPT Code: 90853
 $102 1.0×
Psychological testing by technician
CPT Code: 96138
 $104 0.3×
Blood test, thyroid (TSH)
CPT Code: 84443
 $98 5.4×
Blood test, average blood sugar (A1c)
CPT Code: 83036
 $56 5.6×
Electrocardiogram (EKG, tracing only)
CPT Code: 93005
 $71 1.1×
Psychological testing evaluation
CPT Code: 96136
 $62 0.5×
Inline Bill X-Ray & 501(r) Calculator 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Free Care ≤200% FPL · AGB Cap 34.0%

Audit a Bill or Quote at McLean Hospital Corporation (Zero PHI Required)

CMS CCN: 224007
CPT 70553
Fair BaseRate™ $511
Medicare Rate $356
Self-Pay Cash $2,337
Insurer Median $424
Pre-filled with McLean Hospital Corporation’s charged/list benchmark
Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines
2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person
Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $1,060 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $1,060

At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (34.0% of gross = $1,060).

Step 2 · Cash vs. Insurance Arbitrage Save $779 Paying Cash

Self-Pay Cash Rate ($2,337) Beats Your Bill

McLean Hospital Corporation's published 45 CFR § 180 self-pay cash rate is $2,337 (vs. $424 commercial insurer median). Ask billing to reclassify the visit to prompt-pay self-pay if it beats your deductible.

Step 3 · Fair BaseRate Target +$2,605 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $511 Fair BaseRate ($356 Medicare)

Your bill ($3,116) is $2,605 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($511) and 8.8× the $356 Medicare rate.

1-Click Factual Dispute Summary: Copy a citation-backed benchmark memo (with CMS CCN, CPT code, Medicare reference, Fair BaseRate, and 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) calculations) to paste into patient-portal messages or billing appeals.
IRS Form 990 Schedule H & 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Hospital

Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) & Amounts Generally Billed (AGB)

EIN: 042697981
Filing Period: 201011
Free Care Eligibility BenchmarkUp to 200% FPL100% charity write-off income threshold
Discounted Care EligibilityUp to 400% FPLSliding-scale & AGB billing cap tier
Charity Care Share of ExpensesSee Schedule HNet community financial assistance reported
26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) AGB Benchmark Method: lookback_commercial_median

Hospital-Specific CMS HCRIS Benchmark (34.0% of gross charges)

Under 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5), a tax-exempt hospital organization may not bill FAP-eligible patients more than Amounts Generally Billed (AGB) to individuals with insurance covering emergency or medically necessary care. Derived from this facility’s reported CMS HCRIS cost-to-charge & insurer allowance filings. Verify your exact Financial Assistance Policy (FAP) determination directly with the billing office.

Screen your household size, income, and itemized CPT codes against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines: Calculate Your 501(r) Cap Above ↑
CMS Care Compare Public Quality Record

Clinical Quality, Patient Experience & Infection Benchmarks

CMS Price Transparency Administrative Enforcement Log

Factual public administrative actions published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding 45 CFR § 180 compliance at McLean Hospital Corporation. Prior administrative notices do not necessarily reflect current compliance status.

  • 2025-08-27·administrative_or_closure

    Met Requirements

    Recorded

Source: CMS Hospital Care Compare. Clinical quality metrics summarize historical facility-wide cohorts and are not medical advice for individual care decisions.

Care-Setting Arbitrage, Bilateral SVD Insurer Leverage & Regional Alternatives

How to Pay Less Nearby: Freestanding Centers, Insurer Leverage & Outpatient Savings

Regional Quality & Price Benchmark

2D regional comparison of commercial negotiated price index against CMS clinical quality composite for McLean Hospital Corporation.

Price Index: 0.72× regional baseline
Quality: 54/100 CMS composite
Median Household Income$126,779U.S. Census ACS
Local Uninsured Share2.4%Regional ACS estimate
200% FPL (1 Person)$31,920Common free-care ceiling
400% FPL (Family of 4)$128,600Common AGB cap ceiling
45 CFR § 180 Primary-Source Lineage & Federal Verification VeriRate 73/100 · Corroborated CMS CCN 224007 EIN 042697981

Verify the Raw Data: Official Hospital MRF, CMS Medicare.gov & Federal Filings

Download Official Hospital MRF ↗ Verify on CMS Medicare.gov (CCN 224007) ↗ Verify IRS Form 990 (EIN 042697981) ↗ CMS HCRIS Cost Reports ↗
Published MRF File042697981_McLean-Hospital_StandardCharges.zip!042697981_McLean-Hospital_StandardCharges.csv
Publication / Vintage2026-03-27 · 0.02 MB
Validated Rate Rows84 (CMS v3.0.0)
File Integrity DigestVerified · CCN 224007

Safe-Harbor Data Corrections: Parsed directly from public 45 CFR § 180 hospital filings, CMS Care Compare, and CMS HCRIS cost reports. Hospital compliance officers may submit updated MRF URLs or rate tables for verification.

Submit MRF Update Correction Policy