HCA/270 Costs Classification

Column A

F

1. Indirect costs

A

2. Direct costs

D

3. Fixed costs

I

E

C

B

H

G

4. Variable costs

5. Step-fixed costs

6. Responsibility centers

7. Revenue centers

8. Cost centers

9. Shadow cost centers

Column B – Definitions

A.     Costs incurred directly as a result of providing a specific service or good

B.     Centers charged with controlling costs and generate revenue

C.     Have no revenue budget and no obligation to earn revenue

D.     Costs that do not vary as service volume varies

E.     Fixed over some range of service volume, but rise to a new level for a higher range of service volume

F.     Costs that cannot be tied directly to the patient’s stay in the bed

G.     Exist as budgets on paper only

H.     The places where costs occur and have budgets

I.       Costs that change as volume changes

Column A

 D

1.   Indirect costs

C

2.   Direct costs

B

3.   Fixed costs

4.   Variable costs

5.   Step-fixed costs

6.   Responsibility centers

7.   Revenue centers

8.   Cost centers

9.   Shadow cost centers

Column B – Real-World Examples

A.    A subunit of a larger organization that is responsible for some type of budget, such as the payroll department or courier service

B.    Shares of depreciation, administration division, or laundry service

C.     Administration, human resources, or housekeeping

D.     Utility bill, supplies, or maintenance

E.     Nursing care, food consumed, drugs administered

F.     Hospital cafeteria, gift shop, or parking ramp

G.     Depreciation of hospital equipment

H.     Building loan payment, building insurance, or cable or internet service

I.       The nurse-to-patient ratio on the cardiac unit is one to three patients. There are four nurses scheduled for 12 patients. During the second shift, three more patients are admitted. The nurse manager calls in a fifth nurse.