2013
Read this from Kaiser Health News:
Although no other state has required the health care industry to publish its prices, 11 states have taken preliminary steps to shed light on the real cost of medical care. Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Vermont are in various stages of developing so-called “all payer claims databases” that collect and analyze the widely varying prices health care providers charge private insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured individuals and other payers. In all other states, these transactions are considered confidential business information and kept under wraps.
For some time, state officials have been using the state claims data, but it has only given them a retrospective look at the market. The Massachusetts data that will be available in October will give consumers a current view of the prices their carriers pay for services. That information, both price lists and quality reports, will come directly from insurance companies and providers.
Len Nichols, an economist at George Mason University, said the health care industry will never become a functioning market without this kind of detailed pricing information. In the meantime, though, “the industry is focused like a laser beam on the cost issue,” he said.
Do you see anything wrong with this?
Well, as long as health insurance companies use networks and negotiate fees with providers, how is it productive to publish what each insurer negotiates? The purpose of negotiating is to bring something to the table the other party wants (patients) in return for the best price. If I am a provider and learn another insurer is paying more what would I do the next time around? Besides, what do I care what my insurer pays, I care about the premium I pay do I not?
You can’t change the system until you change the system. How many times does it have to be said. Health care is not a “market” and never will be. What do you want first and foremost when you or a loved one is sick, especially seriously ill? I know, the comfort of knowing you got the best price. LOL
And by the way, after one visit to a doctor the patient knows exactly what their insurance pays. It’s right there on the explanation of benefits (EOB). They are free to change doctors if they think it’s too much … Yeah, right.
Related articles
- How Price Transparency Could End Up Increasing Health-Care Costs (theatlantic.com)
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