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.
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