Spectrum Health in Michigan has begun posting on its Web site the average payments it receives for 246 procedures from Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers, reports Health Data Management.
The seven-hospital delivery system since October 2006 has posted its estimated price for these procedures, which include adult and inpatient procedures, childbirth services, and common laboratory and radiology tests. Now, the site lists the procedure, average price, and what three types of insurers actually pay for the procedure. For instance, the estimated average price of a hip replacement is $19,600, with Medicare paying an average of $13,379, Medicaid paying $8,429 and commercial insurers paying $15,919.
The average prices for procedures include nursing care, room charges, supplies and medications, but do not include physician fees. The commercial insurance payments are an average from all commercial payers; individual insurers and their payments are not listed. The Web service is available at spectrum-health.org/averageprices.
