The Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit healthcare research organization, has launched a website that lets consumers get a better idea of the baseline price for more than 70 common health services based on the actual prices some of the nation's largest insurers pay to providers.
HCCI launched the website, guroo.com, for the purpose of helping consumers become more informed about the price and quality of healthcare.
The estimates provided on the website are calculated using the anonymous claims data on more than 40 million Americans. There are several insurers participating in the initiative and providing the prices they pay to providers, including Aetna, Assurant Health, Humana and UnitedHealthcare. HCCI expects more payers to join this year.
"With rising prices and more consumers enrolled in high-deductible health plans, consumers are eager to get the best value out of every dollar they spend on healthcare," said David Newman, executive director of HCCI, in a news release.
On the quality side, the website provides questions consumers can ask their healthcare providers to better understand the available treatment choices for their specific condition.
Along with helping consumers become more informed, HCCI believes the website will be a valuable resource for regulators, policy makers and employers.
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