Massachusetts becomes first state to put price tags on healthcare

With the push for more transparency in healthcare, people with private insurance in Massachusetts can now go onto their insurers' websites to see the real-time prices for healthcare services, according to a Kaiser Health News report.

Massachusetts began pushing insurers to make pricing information more public two years ago, and it is now the only state to require insurers to provide real-time prices.

Although Massachusetts has changed the way consumers in the state shop for healthcare services, the prices do not always present the exact amount a patient will be charged. For instance, the price tag the insurer provides may not include a facility fee or the cost of reading a test, which the consumer would be required to pay. In addition, most of the pricing information available is for outpatient care.

More articles on healthcare costs:

Moody's: 3 key trends affecting hospitals and health insurers this year
The rise of specialty drugs and healthcare costs: 6 things to know
Congress investigating rising generic drug prices

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars