SPOTLIGHT: An economist ponders consumer-directed care

Can consumer-directed care really improve efficiency and cut costs? Probably not, if we rely on the data that's currently being generated, suggests economist Paul Ginsberg. While mandates that hospitals disclose charges may be well-intentioned, they don't provide the information that consumers need to make complicated choices, he suggests. Until we come up with better tools to help consumers negotiate pricing and quality data, Ginsberg says, providing such data won't have much impact. He contends that insurers will have to play a key role in making this happen. Article