Business
Mich. hospitals list prices online
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 3, 2007
Michigan's nonprofit hospitals have agreed to post online their prices for certain procedures. The listings are expected to premiere in January 2008 on the Web site of the Michigan Health & Hospital Assn. (link).
While a few states require hospitals to list prices online, the Michigan effort is voluntary. The Michigan association has 146 hospital members, though it is not known whether all will participate.
Plans call for hospitals to list prices for their 50 most common procedures, which make up 80% of hospital revenue. The listed price would be the base price charged to anyone, with no accounting for insurer-negotiated discounts.
Like similar efforts elsewhere, the Michigan listings reflect growing consumer and business demand for price transparency in health care, the association said.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2007/09/03/bibf0903.htm.