Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Colorado has expanded its transparency initiative beyond major metro areas into the entire state of Colorado. Members can now access Anthem Care Comparison, an online tool that provides medical cost information for 59 specific medical procedures performed at local area hospitals, outpatient surgery centers and free-standing radiology facilities. The procedures now include office visit and chiropractic visit costs.
Prior to this, Anthem Care Comparison has been available in major Colorado cities such as Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Grand Junction since 2008. In addition, Care Comparison added information for another 20 procedures for a total of 59, including brain MRIs, knee replacement surgery and screening colonoscopies. The cost information is facility specific, so members can compare the differences in cost among hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and/or free standing imaging centers. Anthem members can also obtain information on how frequently facilities perform each procedure, which can assist the member in assessing the care they seek. With the expansion of this online resource, Colorado members join 24 million Anthem and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield members nationwide who can compare medical cost estimates.