Majority of U.S. States Fail in Sharing Health Care Costs with Patients

72 percent have received "D" or "F" grade in providing price info

Most prices in health care remain a mystery to consumers, employers and patients picking up the tab for services. According to a new report, 36 U.S. states are failing to improve information to consumers on what medical treatments and procedures actually cost. In fact, national studies show that the prices for identical procedures can vary more than 700 percent. When consumers seek pricing information, it is generally only “available on request,” the study said. The report shows 14 states achieving a grade of “C” or better, and just two states — Massachusetts and New Hampshire — receiving an “A” for sharing information about the price of services for both “inpatient and outpatient services” as well as “information for both doctors and hospitals,” and for sharing data through a public web site or in public reports. “It should be concerning to every lawmaker in the country that 18 percent of the U.S. economy is shrouded in mystery. More Americans than ever before are paying a significant percentage of health care costs and they can’t comparison shop without price information," said Francois de Brantes of the  Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute. (Forbes)

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]