Billing and Collections
Although larger practices may have the resources to provide benefits to patients through better care coordination or access to new technologies, among other things, these practices' greater market power may enable them to charge higher prices than smaller practices, the study authors said.
According to an analysis released Wednesday, it can pay to shop around for women's health care, with mammograms and other routine services often costing far more in one office than in another.
The study from the Health Care Cost Institute found discrepancies within some of the 41 areas of the country it studied using its rare data trove-billing claims from three of the biggest commercial insurers.
A new consumer website unveiled Monday by the California Department of Insurance hopes to help Californians better shop for health care based on both quality and price.
IRS rules for curbing collections abuse among nonprofit hospitals are not specific enough and should also include for-profit providers, according to a new report in the AMA Journal of Ethics that blasts healthcare providers over some of their billing practices.
Under the rules, if patients don't know in advance that a doctor is out of network or if they have no choice, they won't be responsible for the bill. Instead, it's up to the insurer and provider to reach a payment deal through an independent resolution process.
The Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based public policy research group, called the offices of 96 dentists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists and gastroenterologists across the state last month, asking for the price of five basic services.
The 450-bed North Kansas City Hospital said it has partnered with CarePayment to offer patients financing options to deal with ballooning out-of-pocket costs.
At the top end, the highest median amount paid for the procedure is $61,231 in the Sacramento, California metropolitan area. On the other hand, the Birmingham, Alabama region books the lowest cost paid at $15,494.
Under the New York law, patients are generally protected from owing more than their in-network copayment, coinsurance or deductible on bills they receive for out-of-network emergency services or on surprise bills.