Seven out of 10 people would seek health information about the price and quality of nonemergency medical care, according to a survey by the Regence Group, the Portland Business Journal reports.
The Regence Group is comprised of health insurers in four Northwest states. The report is based on an online survey of about 2,000 people in four states.
Respondents believe that people with health insurance are shielded from the "true cost of care," and research cost and quality information less than those without insurance.
Regence CEO Mark Ganz said that a system of health consumerism only works if consumers have easy access to health information about price and quality that is understandable, meaningful and plentiful, but "[w]e're not there yet."
According to Regence spokesperson Angela Hult, Regence currently supplies its members with a Web site that includes:
- Searchable research on costs and care options;
- Research on health issues;
- Annual health costs;
- Healthy activity listings, and fitness and nutrition information; and
- Information on medical conditions and drugs (Graham, Portland Business Journal, 1/7).
States Push for Transparency
More than a dozen states -- including New York, Colorado and Florida -- also have created hospital report cards online to inform consumers about standard prices and other hospital data, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Colorado has released the latest online report card of its state hospitals, which received almost 20,000 users on its first day.
In March, California released its first hospital report card on about two-thirds of its 350 hospitals. California insurers paid for the collection and auditing of the data, and the California HealthCare Foundation developed and maintains the site.
Sixteen states also release adverse events reports online, and an additional five states, including Illinois, plan to release the reports in the future, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy (Graham, Chicago Tribune, 1/6).
CHCF publishes iHealthBeat.