A Utah lawmaker (Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem) is proposing that hospitals and doctors be required to post the price of common procedures, writes KSL.com. Daw said he has opened a bill file for the 2019 session and that legislation is currently being drafted that would give Utahns the ability to shop around before they go to the doctor. “They would be able to go to a website, type in that procedure and get a listing of what different providers charge for it and also an indicator of quality,” he said.
An existing joint effort by the Utah Department of Health & Utah Hospital Association, publishes information about hospital services and charges on the Utah Hospital PricePoint Website. This Web site provides information on billed charges for all types of inpatient care and selected outpatient services.
Current state legislation (Title 26 Chapter 33a Utah Health Data Authority Act) allows for the collection, analyzing, and distribution of healthcare data to promote the accessibility of quality and cost-effective healthcare. The committee may make comparative analyses of healthcare providers and data suppliers by name. However the act does not mandate the public reporting of such date.
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