Terms of Service
Last updated: June 2026
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using CareCost Explorer (the "Service"), operated by CareCost, LLC, an Oregon limited liability company with principal offices in Portland, Oregon ("CareCost"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you use the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms. If you do not agree, you may not use the Service.
2. Description of Service
CareCost Explorer provides a searchable interface to healthcare negotiated-rate data derived from publicly available Machine-Readable Files (MRFs) published by health insurers under the federal Transparency in Coverage Rule. The Service aggregates, normalizes, summarizes, and indexes this public data to make it usable. CareCost Explorer does not generate, create, or independently verify the underlying rates — they are sourced from insurer-published files. See our Methodology page for how figures are computed.
3. Account and License
Access to the Service requires an account and a valid paid license. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your credentials and for all activity under your account. A license is granted for use by the named account holder or organization and may not be shared beyond the seats you have purchased. Notify us promptly at hello@carecostexplorer.com if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization.
4. Billing and Payment
Access is sold as a license at the price shown on our Pricing page. Payment is processed by Stripe; by purchasing, you also agree to Stripe's terms. All fees are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. We may change pricing prospectively; changes do not affect a license already purchased for its current term.
5. Informational Use Only — No Professional Advice
The data and figures provided through the Service are offered "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE," strictly for general informational and research purposes. They are not, and must not be relied upon as, medical, clinical, financial, billing, insurance, or legal advice. Negotiated rates describe contract-level prices for individual billing codes and do not represent the total cost of an episode of care, a guarantee of coverage or payment, or a quote for any specific patient or transaction. Always verify specifics with the relevant insurer, provider, or a qualified professional before making any decision.
6. Data Accuracy Disclaimer
The data is derived from publicly available files published by health insurers. While we make reasonable efforts to process and present it accurately, CareCost Explorer makes no warranty or representation regarding the completeness, accuracy, timeliness, or reliability of the data. The data may contain errors introduced by the original source files, by changes in insurer pricing, or by our processing pipelines. Coverage varies by payer and region. The Service is not a substitute for verification with the relevant insurer or provider.
7. Intellectual Property
The underlying rate data is derived from public sources and is not proprietary to CareCost Explorer. The Service itself — including its interface, summarization and indexing methodology, data processing pipelines, design, and brand assets — is the intellectual property of CareCost Explorer and is protected by applicable law. You may not copy, modify, or reverse-engineer the Service or its infrastructure.
8. Prohibited Uses
You agree not to: (a) resell, redistribute, or sublicense data obtained from the Service without adding substantial value or transformation, or in a manner that recreates the Service; (b) represent CareCost Explorer data as your own proprietary data; (c) use the Service to generate patient-facing bills or insurance claims without independently verifying with the relevant payer or provider; (d) use the Service for any unlawful purpose; (e) attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, other accounts, or our systems; (f) use automated means to scrape or bulk-export data beyond your license's intended use; or (g) interfere with the integrity or performance of the Service.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, CareCost Explorer and its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, revenue, data, or goodwill, arising from: (a) your use of or inability to use the Service; (b) any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in the data; (c) any decision made in reliance on the data; or (d) any unauthorized access to your account. Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising from or related to these Terms or the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim.
10. Termination
Either party may terminate these Terms at any time. You may terminate by ceasing use and closing your account. We may suspend or terminate access at any time for violation of these Terms or to protect the Service. Provisions relating to intellectual property, disclaimers, and limitation of liability survive termination.
11. Changes to Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date and, where appropriate, notify you at the email associated with your account. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
12. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oregon, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the State of Oregon.
13. Contact
Questions about these Terms? Contact us at hello@carecostexplorer.com.