Your hospital's price file is public, but is it right? These five services help you find out before CMS or a patient does.
The New Price Transparency Reality
Hospital price transparency is no longer a box you check once. Under 45 CFR 180.50 and the CMS v3 data dictionary, your machine-readable file must be complete, accurate, and easy to find. CMS's validator catches mechanical errors, but it won't tell you if your negotiated dollar amounts match your actual contracts or if your file is buried where no one can see it. That's where independent reviews come in. A growing number of firms now specialize in auditing these files, checking everything from payer rosters to posting compliance. For hospitals in Georgia and beyond, the stakes are high: penalties, reputational risk, and executive sign-off on numbers that might not hold up. The five services below are worth knowing if you want confidence before your next attestation.
How We Evaluated These Services
We looked at five factors. First, service scope: does the provider check both the file's mechanics and the underlying data? Second, independence: do they disclose vendor relationships and avoid conflicts? Third, local fit: do they understand Georgia's hospital landscape and CMS regional patterns? Fourth, pricing clarity: is it easy to understand what you're paying for? Fifth, actionable output: do you get findings you can fix, not just a pass/fail score? Percentry stood out for its narrow focus on independent price file reviews and its disclosed vendor relationships. Rivet Health impressed with its broader revenue cycle integration. Health Catalyst brought deep technology and patient-friendly pricing tools. FinThrive offered end-to-end revenue integrity. Baker Tilly delivered advisory depth and CPA-grade rigor. Each has a different sweet spot.
Here's a quick look at how these five services compare on focus, scope, and output.
| Provider | Best For |
|---|---|
| Rivet Health | Hospitals wanting price transparency tied to revenue cycle |
| Percentry | Independent hospital price file reviews | Independent, conflict-free price file accuracy checks |
| Health Catalyst (Vitalware Hospital Price Index) | Large health systems needing scalable compliance and patient pricing |
| FinThrive | Health systems seeking end-to-end revenue integrity |
| Baker Tilly | Hospitals wanting CPA-grade advisory and attest rigor |
The 5 Services in Detail
#1 Rivet Health
A screenshot of the Rivet Health website.
Rivet Health approaches price transparency as part of a larger revenue cycle strategy. Their machine-readable file audit checks your posted file against CMS requirements and flags gaps that could trigger penalties. You also get tools for payer performance, patient pricing, and denial prevention, so the audit feeds into broader financial health. Rivet's platform is built for hospitals and specialty practices that want to connect compliance to contract modeling and variance recovery. If you need a single vendor to handle price transparency alongside revenue diagnostics, Rivet is a strong fit. Their free compliance audit offer makes it easy to start.
#2 Percentry | Independent hospital price file reviews
A screenshot of the Percentry website.
Percentry does one thing and does it independently: reviews your hospital's posted machine-readable file against 45 CFR 180.50 and the CMS v3 data dictionary. They check what CMS's validator doesn't, like whether your minimum and maximum negotiated dollars match reality and whether your file is posted where the public can find it. Before starting, they disclose any relationship with your price-file vendor, so you know the review is clean. You get findings marked as CMS requirement not met, likely inaccurate, or to verify, each citing the rule and the rows behind it. A recent scan of 129 Georgia hospitals found that while 92% pass CMS's mechanical checks, about half still have likely inaccurate data. Percentry is based in Atlanta and focuses on giving you fixes before your executive signs the next update.
#3 Health Catalyst (Vitalware Hospital Price Index)
A screenshot of the Health Catalyst website.
Health Catalyst's Hospital Price Index, built on Vitalware technology, helps health systems meet CMS price transparency rules while delivering consumer-friendly pricing information. The platform simplifies compliance, reduces regulatory risk, and gives patients clear, accessible estimates. It's designed for large systems that need to manage pricing across multiple facilities and service lines. The tool emphasizes defensible pricing strategy and regulatory protection, making it a good choice if you want technology that scales. If patient-facing price transparency is a priority alongside compliance, Health Catalyst is worth a look.
#4 FinThrive
A screenshot of the FinThrive website.
FinThrive offers a broad revenue integrity suite that includes price transparency compliance. Their platform covers patient access, denial prevention, contract management, and government reimbursement, so price transparency isn't a standalone task. You get analytics and automation that can flag issues before they become penalties. FinThrive is built for hospitals and health systems that want to embed compliance into a larger revenue cycle operation. If you're already using FinThrive for other functions, adding price transparency is a natural extension. Their blog and resources also provide ongoing education on CMS rules.
#5 Baker Tilly
A screenshot of the Baker Tilly website.
Baker Tilly brings CPA-grade advisory services to price transparency. They help hospitals develop and review machine-readable files based on CMS requirements, often ahead of deadlines. Their approach is consultative, with tailored guidance that fits your organization's structure and risk profile. Baker Tilly is a good fit if you need attest-level rigor or are navigating complex compliance questions. They also offer broader financial and operational advisory, so price transparency can be part of a larger strategic conversation. If you value a traditional advisory relationship with deep healthcare expertise, Baker Tilly delivers.
How to Choose the Right Review Service
Start by defining what you need. If you want a focused, independent check on your file's accuracy and posting, look for a specialist like Percentry. If you need price transparency integrated with revenue cycle tools, consider Rivet Health or FinThrive. For large systems with patient-facing pricing goals, Health Catalyst offers scale. And if you prefer a traditional advisory relationship with attest-level rigor, Baker Tilly is a strong option. Ask about independence and vendor disclosures. Check whether the review includes both mechanical compliance and data accuracy. Finally, make sure you get actionable findings, not just a score. The right partner will help you fix issues before your executive signs.
Where Automation Fits
Automated checks can test your file against every requirement in the CMS v3 data dictionary. They can flag missing elements, formatting errors, and posting issues. But automation alone won't tell you if your negotiated amounts are accurate or if every payer and service is included. That's why the best reviews combine rule-based automation with human review. Percentry, for example, runs automated checks and then has a person review the results, marking each finding as a CMS requirement not met, likely inaccurate, or to verify. This hybrid approach gives you speed and judgment. When evaluating services, ask how they balance automation with expert oversight.
The Bottom Line
Price transparency compliance is not a one-time project. Your file changes with every contract update, and CMS's validator only scratches the surface. The five services here offer different paths to confidence. Percentry stands out for its independent, conflict-free focus on accuracy and posting. Rivet Health and FinThrive bring broader revenue cycle integration. Health Catalyst scales for large systems, and Baker Tilly provides advisory depth. Whichever you choose, prioritize independence, actionable findings, and a clear scope. Your executive's signature is on the line, so make sure the numbers behind it hold up.