(a) (1) Beginning July 1, 2004, a hospital, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), shall make a written or electronic copy of its charge description master available, either by posting an electronic copy of the charge description master on the hospital’s Internet Web site, or by making one written or electronic copy available at the hospital location.
(2) A small and rural hospital, as defined in Section 124840, shall be exempt from paragraph (1).
(b) For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Charge description master” means a uniform schedule of charges represented by the hospital as its gross billed charge for a given service or item, regardless of payer type.
(2) “Hospital” means a hospital, as defined in subdivision (a), (b), or (f) of Section 1250, that uses a charge description master.
(3) “Office” means the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development.
(c) The hospital shall post a clear and conspicuous notice in its emergency department, if any, in its admissions office, and in its billing office that informs patients that the hospital’s charge description master is available in the manner described in subdivision (a).
(d) Any information about charges provided pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include information about where to obtain information regarding hospital quality, including hospital outcome studies available from the office and hospital survey information available from the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.