CMS Releases Hospital Cost Data

[Yagents]

I guess there is something being done about it:

On its front page, USA Today (5/9, A1, Kennedy) reports upon releasing the data, HHS also announced that "hospitals will now be required to tell patients how much they charge for procedures." HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a conference call, "Currently, consumers don't know what a hospital is charging them or their insurance company for a given procedure, like a knee replacement, or how much of a price difference there is at different hospitals, even within the same city. This data and new data centers will help fill that gap." And more to this point, Jonathan Blum, acting principal deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare said, "Hospitals that charge two or three times the going rate will rightfully face higher scrutiny."

 

[timsip]

I guess there is something being done about it:

On its front page, USA Today (5/9, A1, Kennedy) reports upon releasing the data, HHS also announced that "hospitals will now be required to tell patients how much they charge for procedures." HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a conference call, "Currently, consumers don't know what a hospital is charging them or their insurance company for a given procedure, like a knee replacement, or how much of a price difference there is at different hospitals, even within the same city. This data and new data centers will help fill that gap." And more to this point, Jonathan Blum, acting principal deputy administrator and director of the Center for Medicare said, "Hospitals that charge two or three times the going rate will rightfully face higher scrutiny."

Now why is it that we have to go through all of this Obummercare crap to get this? This alone will make huge headways in controlling healthcare costs. Why attack the insurance companies on so many fronts when the affordability of health care has nothing to do with insurance companies?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Maryland law states that all auto repair shops have to list their hourly rates.

They also cannot charge you more than 10% of the estimated cost without your consent. Because my father remembers the days when you'd take a car to the shop, get an estimate of $500 but when you picked it up it was $1,500.

Sounds like a good model for health care. Price transparency, a cost estimate upfront and when the price moves past that estimate they need the customer's consent.

Not everything is brain cancer. Not everything is a shock trauma visit. If my son has an ear infection I should be able to shop around just like....well just like every other service in the entire country.

 

[somarco]

Hospital bills are like sticker prices on cars or airline tickets.

Most folks don't pay full retail.

Those with private insurance pay the most, followed by Medicare and then Medicaid.

The uninsured pay the least which averages around 8 - 12% of billed amount.

HHS and transparency be damned, it won't change a thing. Deadbeats will still be deadbeats.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Imagine booking a flight for $350, but when you land the stewardess comes to you and says "ok, the actual cost is $8,945 - will that be Visa or Mastercard?"

That health care prices should not be transparent is an absurd position.