Business
Aetna expands physician price lists
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 18, 2006
Aetna is making available price as well as clinical quality and efficiency information in several U.S. markets, including Cleveland, Connecticut, South Florida and Washington, D.C. The company also is making price data only available for physicians in Kansas City, Mo., Las Vegas and Pittsburgh. In all, Aetna said physician-specific price data are now available for 70,000 doctors, while clinical quality and efficiency information is available for 15,000 physicians. Aetna first launched its price transparency list in Cincinnati in 2005.
Chief Medical Officer Troyen Brennan, MD, said Aetna had worked with physicians to determine the type of information and how the information should be presented to consumers.
During and before the 2006 American Medical Association Annual Meeting, doctors complained that generally health plans' transparency initiatives might mislead patients into thinking doctors are getting paid more than they actually were, which could lead patients to think doctors are overcharging them.
Delegates approved a report directing the AMA to closely monitor any pricing "transparency" initiatives by health plans.
Aetna receives the clinical quality and efficiency information from a system in which designated specialists undergo an evaluation process that reviews their delivery of care based on measures of clinical performance and efficiency.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/09/18/bibf0918.htm.
