Health Care & Prescription Drugs News

Consumers need price information to shop for quality services at lower costs. 

TALLAHASSEE — Floridians continue to see a major financial impact on their businesses and families from the steadily rising costs of health care, and are ready for state lawmakers to address this important political and pocketbook issue.  A new statewide consumer survey conducted on behalf of the Florida HealthCHECK Coalition shows 86 percent of voting-age Floridians at all economic levels want the right to obtain up-front health care or medical cost information to better plan for their ongoing and preventive health care services. They are nearly unanimous (96 percent) in belief patients should receive an itemized statement of all hospital charges.

 

Today, State Sen. Charlie Dean (R) Inverness and House Representative Juan Zapata (R) Miami, joined representatives of Florida’s business community and consumer advocates to roll out specific state legislation that will require Florida’s health care providers to post retail prices for the most common health care services and medical procedures, and to provide advance cost estimates for non-emergency services at Florida hospitals and provider facilities.

 

“The Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act will empower individuals and families to make more informed purchasing decisions about their health care needs,” said Sen. Dean.  “Greater access to health care pricing information and facilities’ performance, along with advance cost estimates will spur providers to compete, and as a result, offer Floridians better quality health care – and at a lower cost.”

 

Despite dramatically rising costs, consumers are still expected to purchase health care services without any knowledge of what it will cost.  A 2006 Harris Poll showed consumers were able to guess the price of a specific new car within about $300.  When asked to estimate the price of a four-day hospital stay, they missed the mark by $8,000. 

 

“Every day, Floridians are forced to make decisions that may greatly impact their business or personal budget, and, as informed consumers, they deserve to know the retail cost of medical services and procedures up front - not when the bill arrives in the mail,” said Rep. Zapata the Florida House sponsor of the bill.

 

The Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act provides consumers with the information they need to select the best services at the best price. 

 

The Act increases price transparency by:

-          Requiring disclosure of prices for the 100 most common procedures, medications and medical equipment available to consumers on the Internet

-          Requiring advance, written good-faith estimates for non-emergency hospital care.

 

“Health care is an industry where far too often consumers buy services without knowing what they will be charged,” said Jack McRay, Advocacy Manager for AARP.  “By requiring health care providers to post retail prices for the most common services and provide advance estimates for non-emergency services, The Health Care Consumer’s Right to Information Act helps consumers shop for the best care at the best price.” 

The legislation is backed by Florida HealthCHECK, a broad-based coalition of business and consumer advocates working together to empower health care consumers to make informed decisions and inject competition into the marketplace.  Formed in 2005, the statewide coalition helped push through landmark health care transparency legislation that made health care quality and cost information available on the Internet at  www.floridahealthfinder.gov. The group sees this legislation as another important step forward in empowering and engaging Florida consumers on health care.

 

“Price transparency is not a silver bullet but it is one of several steps that can be taken right now to lower health care costs,” said Brad Ashwell, Consumer Advocate for the Florida Public Interest Research Group.  “This is also an issue of fairness. The strong tradition of secrecy in pricing allows health care providers to charge some customers two or three times more for the same services, and the biggest burden often falls on those least able to afford it.  Greater equity in pricing would result in greater access to care for all Floridians.”

 

“All consumers of health care across our state will benefit from making health care costs and quality information accessible, transparent and public,” added Rick McAllister, President and CEO of the Florida Retail Federation.  “We must ensure that Floridians are able to seek health care when they need to, and know what it’s going to cost them when they do.”

 

# # #