Report finds transparency in health care still lacking
July 12, 2015
The Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute and Catalyst for Payment Reform released their annual report on state price transparency laws. Unfortunately, the report finds that "90% of states fail to provide adequate price information to consumers. " This is not surprising, given that movement in this area has been slow; the authors even note "We expect continued progress, even if at a slow pace." The overall tone is that while we are at the beginning of these efforts, the industry will inevitably move towards higher and higher levels of transparency in light of the costs that are increasingly becoming difficult to bear.
One setback that the report noted: "Massachusetts' grade dropped precipitously due to shutting down MyHealthCareOptions, the website that had publicly posted price information." (The intent is for private payers to fill the gap.)