Shots

Superintendent Alberto Carvalho of Miami-Dade County Public Schools says he knows how much gets paid out in health care claims, but the school system's insurance carrier, Cigna, won't disclose the charges. Lynne Sladky/AP hide caption

Victoria Elizabeth Fischer was presented with a white coat by her grandfather, Dr. Christian Van Den Heuvel, at Georgetown University School of Medicine in August. The ceremony marks the start for each new class of medical students. Lisa Helfert/Courtesy of Georgetown University hide caption

Insurance companies negotiate with hospitals and doctors the price of every treatment, procedure and medical service. That price differs from hospital to hospital — even health plan to health plan. Vincent Wartner/Science Source hide caption

Ouch! Jeffrey Craig Hopper got good emergency treatment after being hit in the eye with a baseball in June. But months later he was slapped with an extra medical bill he never expected. Jennifer Hopper hide caption

In 49 U.S. states, spotting the squished disc in this spinal MRI is still much easier than learning the price of the MRI in advance. AWelshLad/iStockphoto hide caption

Home health care workers Jasmine Almodovar (far right) and Artheta Peters (center) take part in a Cleveland rally for higher pay on Sept. 4. Sarah Jane Tribble/WCPN, Ideastream hide caption

Members of the California Nurses Association rallied in Sacramento, Calif., in May, in anticipation of contract negotiations with Kaiser Permanente that began this fall. April Dembosky / KQED hide caption

Construction is continuing at the Maryland Proton Treatment Center in downtown Baltimore. It's one of three such centers under development in the Washington, D.C., region. Jenny Gold/KHN hide caption