The state of Oregon has made available to the public a comparison of the costs of some common health care procedures. Here’s the introductory blurb from the Oregon Health Policy and Research web site:
Governor Kulongoski has made health care accessibility and affordability one of his top priorities, including increased transparency about health care costs and quality. As one of these priorities, the Governor has emphasized that health care costs should be transparent, easily accessible and understandable to consumers. When consumers of health care services have clear information about the costs, risk and benefits of care, they can make more informed decisions for themselves and their families. Oregonians have a right to know what they’re paying for before – not after – they receive the bill.
While these goals are laudable, I can’t imagine the average health care consumer drilling down into the state’s somewhat-geeky web site to compare costs. (For example, a cororary bypass can cost from $16,000 to $57,000.) Try it yourself by visiting the cost search start page.
I wonder how this program can be effective without health care providers actively supplying the consumer with cost comparison information at the time when the consumer is making a purchase decision.
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