A news item on KaiserNetwork.org looks at several states that have begun requiring hospitals to disclose prices paid for services – with three states being at the forefront of providing more information on hospital prices and how they can vary; including New Hampshire, Oregon and Massachusetts:
– New Hampshire is disclosing the median amount specific health plans pay hospitals or clinics for about 30 common procedures;
– Oregon is disclosing median prices for more than 80 procedures at hospitals; and
– Massachusetts will begin disclosing average prices health plans pay hospitals and health clinics for common procedures early next year. In addition, the state’s Health Care Quality and Cost Council wants to provide information on what health plans pay specific hospitals and health clinics for services.
Such price disclosures could become increasingly important as high-deductible health plans become more common and people are required to pay a percentage of their hospital bills through co-insurance.