An employers group wants Medicare to release data on the quality and cost of healthcare provided by doctors and other providers around the country. The Business Roundtable, which represents a group of 160 major employers including Citigroup, Exxon Mobil and General Electric, says access to the information will help consumers choose doctors and hospitals more efficiently. But the Bush administration is arguing that releasing information on individual doctors is a violation of privacy laws. In past weeks, the White House has urged insurers to make such data public, urging greater transparency in the healthcare system.
- see this New York Times article