In a move that could increase pressures on healthcare providers, CMS is expected to announce that it will post the prices that Medicare pays hospitals and physicians for certain common procedures on the Web. In an unusual step, officials plan to publicize data in several high-cost metropolitan areas, linking the data to specific doctors and hospitals. The plan will also post quality information. Hospitals are likely to protest that releasing specific price information will mislead consumers.
The drive to release quality and pricing information is a key element of the Bush administration's plan to transform healthcare by removing barriers to competition and empowering consumers to make educated choices. Critics of the philosophy, including some healthcare leaders, have long charged that the information made available may not be enough, and that the details can be too confusing for consumers to interpret. Given the complexity of Medicare reimbursements--especially the subtle differences in DRGs--exactly how CMS will present this data is a matter of great interest.
- see this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)