WellPoint has announced another step in the fight for transparency: it is partnering with four major Blue plans to provide online access to health care cost information.
WellPoint will be partnering with BCBS of Minnesota, BCBS of Michigan, Premera Blue Cross of Washington and Highmark Inc. in Pennsylvania. The Blue plans will provide the estimated cost ranges of 39 medical procedures performed in various locations.
The roll-out will initially only be a limited amount of cost information. Information is being pulled from the Blue plans' claims data paid over the last 12 months, and will be updated every six months.
To learn more about the roll-out:
- read this PR Newswire piece [1] (reg. req.)
- read this Modern Healthcare piece [2] (reg. req.)
Related Articles:
Study: OB/GYN fees vary up to 2,200 percent [3]
Study: U.S. health consumers demand transparency [4]
BCBS of Texas rolls out physician rating site [5]
TN hospitals put prices online [6]
Links:
[1] http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/latest.jsp?resourceid=3885587&access=EH
[2] http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081216/REG/312169957
[3] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/study-obgyn-fees-vary-up-to-2200-percent/2007-06-25
[4] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/study-u.s.-health-consumers-demand-transparency/2007-06-13
[5] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/bcbs-of-texas-rolls-out-physician-rating-site/2007-05-21
[6] http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/tenn.-hospitals-put-prices-online/2007-04-24