Data Shine Light on Hospital Bills
The release of government data showing wide variation in hospital pricing removes a layer of secrecy but probably won’t make medical charges more uniform, experts said Wednesday. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released data revealing significant variations in hospital pricing for common treatments from 3,337 hospitals. The disclosed prices often don’t reflect the actual amounts paid, with numerous entities like Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers negotiating different rates. Despite the data’s transparency, experts believe it might not standardize medical charges, and its usefulness for consumers determining out-of-pocket costs is limited....