Payment information for Medicare services commonly performed in physicians' offices and hospitals' outpatient departments will be made available to beneficiaries, providers and payers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced.
Intended to enable consumers to compare treatment costs and make more informed decisions about Medicare services, the release includes rates for over 70 non-office physician services and 19 services typically performed in a physicians' office. It is the third set of pricing information released to consumers since August 22, 2006, when President Bush issued an executive order for financial transparency in federal healthcare services.
"In all areas of care -- hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, health plans, and prescription drugs -- we are supporting collaborative efforts that are providing unprecedented information to help people get the best quality care for the best price," CMS administrator Leslie Norwalk said in a press release.