Stacey Burling at the Philly news writes on hospital pricing::
It has been difficult for consumers to find out the exact cost hospitals charge for a procedure. With the increase of high-deductible insurance plans/no insurance, consumers have more of a reason to care and inquire about medical costs… Medicare has started publishing the amount they pay individual hospitals. This can allow patients to have a better understanding on what care actually costs.
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National Center for Policy Analysis links to Sarah McIntosh, “Adding Health Care to Your Shopping List: The Emergence of In-Store Clinics,” Flint Hills Center for Public Policy, Policy Paper, June 4, 2008.
In-store health care clinics are growing, offering a private sector solution to increasing concerns of policymakers. However, policymakers need to be careful not to ignore private sector opportunities to improve health care.
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GR health care goal: Top 1 percent nationally
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is aiming to improve the quality of health care in America. The Foundation has founded the Alliance for Health with a $1 million grant to create the “West Michigan Center for Quality Improvement”. The Alliance will collect data and publicly report how well doctors and hospitals perform against set quality measures.