A new website can now inform consumers of medical care costs outside their insurers' approved providers before they ever set foot in a healthcare facility, according to a Buffalo News report.
The website created by non-profit Fair Health, www.fairhealthconsumer.org, currently lists costs for dental services and procedures in the consumer's ZIP code, as well as how much of each cost is typically covered by insurance and how much the consumer will have to pay. After Aug. 1, the same data will be available for all medical and surgical procedures.
Currently, patients who pursue out-of-network care have no way to predict the cost or how much of the payment they would be responsible for until after the procedure. Even the explanation of benefits from the insurer is difficult to understand for those not well-versed in medical billing, according to the report.
According to the report, the information is an estimate rather than an exact fee. Consumers can use the website to get a general idea of charges for a certain procedure, based on a compilation of data from insurers nationwide. The service is designed to provide more information about out-of-network costs and reimbursements, a health insurance topic rarely understood by consumers. The site may also encourage competition among physicians and hospitals because patients will have a benchmark to compare physician charges.
Read the Buffalo News report on Fair Health's website.
Read more on out-of-network costs:
-Out-of-Network Payments Falling to Medicare Levels in Some States
-Patients at Nashville Surgery Centers May Face Higher OON Prices
-7 Points on Developing Surgery Centers in Highly Regulated States
The website created by non-profit Fair Health, www.fairhealthconsumer.org, currently lists costs for dental services and procedures in the consumer's ZIP code, as well as how much of each cost is typically covered by insurance and how much the consumer will have to pay. After Aug. 1, the same data will be available for all medical and surgical procedures.
Currently, patients who pursue out-of-network care have no way to predict the cost or how much of the payment they would be responsible for until after the procedure. Even the explanation of benefits from the insurer is difficult to understand for those not well-versed in medical billing, according to the report.
According to the report, the information is an estimate rather than an exact fee. Consumers can use the website to get a general idea of charges for a certain procedure, based on a compilation of data from insurers nationwide. The service is designed to provide more information about out-of-network costs and reimbursements, a health insurance topic rarely understood by consumers. The site may also encourage competition among physicians and hospitals because patients will have a benchmark to compare physician charges.
Read the Buffalo News report on Fair Health's website.
Read more on out-of-network costs:
-Out-of-Network Payments Falling to Medicare Levels in Some States
-Patients at Nashville Surgery Centers May Face Higher OON Prices
-7 Points on Developing Surgery Centers in Highly Regulated States