It’s not easy to compare hospital prices, but the Obama administration is making that information more accessible.
Today Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a a three-part initiative that gives consumers information on what hospitals charge.
New data show significant variation in prices across the country. The numbers cover the 100 most popular in-patient procedures for Medicare recipients in the fiscal year 2011. And they don’t just differ from coast to coast, but also city to city. In Denver, Colorado, charges to treat heart failure range from $21,000 to $46,000.
Today HHS also made approximately $87 million available to states to look at their rate review programs and make them more transparent. Medicare is beginning to pay providers based on the quality they provide, rather than the quantity of services.
To see the data HHS collected, click here.
