By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    HIPPA compliance
    How Medical Office Staff Can Make Your Practice HIPAA Compliant
    October 29, 2021
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    Everything you need to know about hyaluronic acid treatment
    February 10, 2022
    Which Mushroom Capsules Are Good for Your Health?
    May 5, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Life Expectancy Inequality
    June 30, 2011
    Antipsychotic Drugs Called Hazardous for the Elderly
    August 3, 2011
    Looking Good
    September 2, 2011
    Latest News
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 18, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: HHS Secretary to Create Transparency Mechanisms to Address Medical Billing Costs
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Finance > HHS Secretary to Create Transparency Mechanisms to Address Medical Billing Costs
FinanceHealth ReformHospital AdministrationPolicy & LawPublic Health

HHS Secretary to Create Transparency Mechanisms to Address Medical Billing Costs

MichaelDouglas1
Last updated: May 9, 2013 8:33 am
MichaelDouglas1
Share
4 Min Read
medical billing
SHARE

Back when TIME published its now classic mainstream longform piece “Bitter Pill”, the buzz in the healthcare blogosphere centered around the waste involved in the final point of delivery of care to the patient. Stories of patient woes as they faced outrageously escalating medical bills for treatments for which they thought they were covered were replete in the report.

Back when TIME published its now classic mainstream longform piece “Bitter Pill”, the buzz in the healthcare blogosphere centered around the waste involved in the final point of delivery of care to the patient. Stories of patient woes as they faced outrageously escalating medical bills for treatments for which they thought they were covered were replete in the report. Now word comes from the piece’s author, Stephen Brill, that HHS Sec’y Kathleen Sebelius will create yet another office of accountability:

medical billingSebelius will release a data file that shows the list—or ‘chargemaster’—prices by all hospitals across the country for the 100 most common inpatient treatment services in 2011. It then compares those prices with what Medicare actually paid hospitals for the same treatments – which was typically a fraction of the chargemaster prices… In the same announcement, Sebelius is offering $87 million dollars to the states to create what she calls ‘health care data pricing centers.’  The centers will make pricing transparency more local and user friendly than the giant data file she is releasing this morning.

After one reads the TIME article, all of this is placed into perspective, and it is easy to see Sebelius’s response to the ongoing inequity between the price, cost, and service (delivery) of healthcare; but is creating yet another bureaucratic knee-jerk truly the answer here, especially when it is created to simply track public-private cost differentials? Back when this article was published in February of this year, Brill offered his take on some short term responses by public and private entities alike in addressing this problem. Calling upon hospitals to recoup its profits to improve themselves from within; increasing tax liabilities on profits at ambulatory care centers; and proactive approaches on comparative effectiveness research are just some of the conclusions Brill reaches. He goes on to say

There are two reasons why Sebelius’ release of this newly crunched, massive data file is a great first step. First, it reveals the vast disparity between what hospitals charge for pills, procedures and operations and the real cost of those services, as calculated by Medicare. … The second reason the compilation and release of this data is a big deal is that it demonstrates that … chargemaster prices are wildly inconsistent and seem to have no rationale. … and … the release of … data … should become a tip sheet for reporters in every American city and town, who can now ask hospitals to explain their pricing.

Demonstrating transparency is nothing new for regulatory bodies, including the feds — but the devil is in the details. Providing cold comfort to healthcare consumers serves no purpose unless action occurs to address these startling findings. As reform begins to envelop healthcare access and delivery in this country within the next 12 months and beyond, cogent plans to combat pricing and cost will be needed to demonstrate the real reason for reform — increasing access to quality care at a lower cost while abolishing waste.

More Read

medicaid expansion rejection consequences
Medicaid Expansion Rejection Starts to Bite
Making the Purple Health Plan More Purple
The Trials of Progress in the Affordable Care Act
4 New Lessons on Patient Experience from Disney
APTA Session Recap: What We Say Feeds White and Grey

(image: medical billing transparency / shutterstock)

TAGGED:medical billing coststransparency
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025
How Therapy Can Improve Your Mental Health and Daily Life
How Therapy Can Improve Your Mental Health and Daily Life
Mental Health
June 18, 2025
healthcare facilities
Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
Global Healthcare Infographics
June 15, 2025
from gut to glow
From Plate to Wellness: How Everyday Foods Nourish Your Body Inside and Out
Dental health Infographics Specialties
June 15, 2025

You Might also Like

Best Practices for Physician Alignment

November 17, 2015

How The Medical Device Industry Lobbies

February 29, 2012

Bone Density Tests – Too Many Not a Good Thing

March 17, 2012
Health carePublic HealthWellness

5 Most Stressful Corporate Jobs That Lead to Addiction

October 15, 2017
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?