One of the biggest problems for healthcare consumers is they don’t know the price of services before they use them. That is about to change. “As of July 1, health insurers and self-insured employers must post on websites just about every price they’ve negotiated with providers for healthcare services, item by item.Now insurers must post the amounts paid for “every physician in network, every hospital, every surgery center, every nursing facility,” There are huge variations in those prices and the differences have nothing to do with quality.
“Determined consumers, especially those with high-deductible health plans, may try to dig in right away and use the data to try comparing what they will have to pay at different hospitals, clinics, or doctor offices for specific services.”
“If you’re going to get an X-ray, you will be able to see that you can do it for $250 at this hospital, $75 at the imaging center down the road, or your specialist can do it in office for $25,”
“These plans are supposed to be acting on behalf of employers in negotiating good rates, and the little insight we have on that shows it has not happened”
The lack of transparency in our health care system and financing makes informed choices nearly impossible. It is a step in the right direction and we all must keep pressing for a system that serves patients better.
Yes, a good start. However, the most important reform is to ensure that ALL clinical research data must be made available to allow independent investigators to check the integrity and completeness of the evidence, validate the claims of effectiveness without any quid pro quo and doubt to restore trustworthiness in the research. The corrupt practices to cherry-picking data to fit preordained narratives for 31 pieces of silver must end!
Leo Tolstoy: “All ideas that have consequences are simple. My idea is that since vicious people unite with one another and become strong, then honest people must do the same. Simple!”