Hospitals will have to post prices online starting January 1

[j-mac]

WASHINGTON (AP/FOX 13) - A new rule going into effect January 1, 2019, will require hospitals to post a list of their standard prices online and make electronic medical records more readily available to patients.The new rule, called the Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule, is part of a Medicare program aimed at pricing transparency in the healthcare system.
In March, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma said the new requirement for online prices reflects the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to encourage patients to become better-educated decision makers in their own care.

“We are just beginning on price transparency,” said Verma. “We know that hospitals have this information and we’re asking them to post what they have online.”

http://www.fox5dc.com/health/hospitals-will-have-to-post-prices-online-starting-january-1

This is good news for consumers....And an accomplishment for the Trump administration...But one wonders why the bulk of the media chose to ignore this story....?

Monica Showalter opined on it this way in the American Thinker....

"In another quiet little reform to chip away the Obamacare and health care monolith, the Trump administration is forcing hospitals to post their prices online.Here's how Quartz described the news:

Astronomical hospital bills are a trope of American health care. Hospitals in the US are known for charging exorbitant fees for simple procedures, and for adding baffling entries to discharge bills. Notorious examples include the woman who was charged $40 to hold her newborn, and the $18,000 emergency-rom bill that a family received after their baby was “treated” with some milk and a nap.
The surprise factor, at least, may soon be changing. On Jan. 1, a new regulation takes effect requiring hospitals to post the prices of their services online. Announced by health and human services secretary Alex Azar in April, the provision is called Inpatient Prospective Payment System rule. Under it, hospitals will have to share the prices of standard services online, as well as make medical records more easily accessible by patients themselves, and shareable between medical practices.
​

It's not an entirely friendly report, but at least they covered it, unlike, say, most of the major media outlets. Plus, they didn't try to tell readers it was all negative news, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's report rather questionably did.

Continued...

 

[j-mac]

Actually, if you buy Obamacare or many other kinds of services, you now have a bit more power. You can choose and estimate how much that necessary hospital stay is going to cost and weigh it with what your insurance covers (a calculator works pretty well with this, contrary to the naysaying reports), compare it to the quality of your own needs (do you need a top-rated research hospital for a common minor procedure, or will an ordinary neighborhood place without national ranking but better pricing work better?) and compare what you pay with what you receive.

That in turn, as Quartz notes, will foster something welcome in the health care field - competition, and the economic concept known as comparative advantage. Each hospital will get more business in what consumers consider the fields it does best, and less business in what it does less well.
It's a win-win for both sides, consumer and hospital, because customers can comparison-shop, not just with hospital rankings, but with hospital prices, and hospitals will respond in a market way, by looking to new efficiencies that can cut prices and bring in consumers. That's better than the alternative, which is strange surprise high pricing, and no warning to consumers who, as they count their pennies, rue the fact that they could have gone elsewhere, but had no way of knowing where.
This is pretty important news, yet if you search Google on it, you don't see the majors reporting on it at all. Just the little local presses, and the main papers in non-coastal mid-market cities, such as Cincinnati and New Orleans, whose readers will find this information very empowering and interesting. If that doesn't show how out-of-touch the press is, what does? The big presses spend all their space on one thing: telling us how great Obamacare is and how more government in health care is always good thing. This move, which involves a regulation, must throw them for a loop, given that it's a regulation, yet it empowers consumers more than bureaucrats.

That's not their "narrative."

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/12/thanks_trump_hospitals_now_to_post_prices.html

is there any doubt anymore that the lion share of the media is loathe to report anything positive out of this administration...? I think not.

 

[Greenbeard]

In another quiet little reform to chip away the Obamacare and health care monolith, the Trump administration is forcing hospitals to post their prices online.

No, genius. This is required by Obamacare.

As Trump's HHS admitted this summer in the reg you're touting.

In the FY 2015 IPPS/LTCH proposed rule and final rule (79 FR 28169 and 79 FR 50146, respectively), we discussed the implementation of section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act, which aims to improve the transparency of hospital charges. We noted that section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act, which was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, requires that each hospital operating within the United States, for each year, establish (and update) and make public (in accordance with guidelines developed by the Secretary) a list of the hospital’s standard charges for items and services provided by the hospital, including for diagnosis-related groups established under section 1886(d)(4) of the Social Security Act.

Meanwhile, the GOP is working in federal court to get this requirement thrown out with the rest of the ACA.

 

[Rexedgar]

Maybe that’s why the OP can’t find the story..........

 

[Airyaman]

No, genius. This is required by Obamacare.

As Trump's HHS admitted this summer in the reg you're touting.



Meanwhile, the GOP is working in federal court to get this requirement thrown out with the rest of the ACA.

I was going to post where 92% of hospitals were concerned about this, now I don't know what to do with it :2razz:.

 

[Mr Person]

In another quiet little reform to chip away the Obamacare and health care monolith, the Trump administration is forcing hospitals to post their prices online.

No, genius. This is required by Obamacare.

As Trump's HHS admitted this summer in the reg you're touting.

In the FY 2015 IPPS/LTCH proposed rule and final rule (79 FR 28169 and 79 FR 50146, respectively), we discussed the implementation of section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act, which aims to improve the transparency of hospital charges. We noted that section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act, which was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, requires that each hospital operating within the United States, for each year, establish (and update) and make public (in accordance with guidelines developed by the Secretary) a list of the hospital’s standard charges for items and services provided by the hospital, including for diagnosis-related groups established under section 1886(d)(4) of the Social Security Act.

Meanwhile, the GOP is working in federal court to get this requirement thrown out with the rest of the ACA.

Forget about whether that left a mark, my desk shook.

 

[Praxas]

Forget about whether that left a mark, my desk shook.

Such is the ignorance from the anti-ACA folks. They are celebrating what the ACA already does.

 

[Greenbeard]

Forget about whether that left a mark, my desk shook.

 

[j-mac]

No, genius.

Why thank you...I had no idea you thought of me as a genius...I am not, but thanks for the complement....lol

This is required by Obamacare.

As Trump's HHS admitted this summer in the reg you're touting.

The article from Quartz says:

"Though hospitals are already required to make their prices available in some form, and to allow patients to access their medical records, the new rule aims to simplify both and increase overall transparency."

Meanwhile, the GOP is working in federal court to get this requirement thrown out with the rest of the ACA.

The regulation you are linking to was filed with the "Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2018 / Rules and Regulations"

So, I don't know the game your trying to play here....I simply think that this is a good rule, regardless of whether or not you agree with the ACA, or Trump or anything, and was pointing out that the the usual suspects in the media like usual play down anything this administration does that helps the American people, as usual. That must have hit a nerve with you considering the rude way you chose to react..

 

[JustHanging]

Such is the ignorance from the anti-ACA folks. They are celebrating what the ACA already does.

You really can't make it up. They be lovin' them some Trump, and Trump's lovin' them...

Donald Trump declares 'I love the poorly educated'


They literally give Trump credit for something Obama did, and Trump is trying to destroy. But they will cheer on Trump as he does it, because it was Obama's idea. Just think about how deep the racial hate must go for that to happen.

 

[j-mac]

Forget about whether that left a mark, my desk shook.

Maybe you should stop doing what your doing underneath it?

 

[Greenbeard]

So, I don't know the game your trying to play here....I simply think that this is a good rule, regardless of whether or not you agree with the ACA, or Trump or anything, and was pointing out that the the usual suspects in the media like usual play down anything this administration does that helps the American people, as usual. That must have hit a nerve with you considering the rude way you chose to react..

This is an ACA requirement. HHS has been implementing it iteratively since that FY15 rule that came out in 2014. HHS is continuing to implement and iterate on the requirement under Trump, even as Trump himself applauds a court ruling that, if upheld, would eliminate the legal basis for this rule by wiping the ACA off the books.

And you're whining about Trump not getting enough credit from the media?

 

[j-mac]

Such is the ignorance from the anti-ACA folks. They are celebrating what the ACA already does.

Not quite true....Though the ACA did require this sort of reporting, the new regulation from this administration requires them to post online, which I believe is more specific, and a good thing....Is it so hard to say that?

 

[Mr Person]

Why thank you...I had no idea you thought of me as a genius...I am not, but thanks for the complement....lol



The article from Quartz says:

"Though hospitals are already required to make their prices available in some form, and to allow patients to access their medical records, the new rule aims to simplify both and increase overall transparency."



The regulation you are linking to was filed with the "Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 160 / Friday, August 17, 2018 / Rules and Regulations"

So, I don't know the game your trying to play here....I simply think that this is a good rule, regardless of whether or not you agree with the ACA, or Trump or anything, and was pointing out that the the usual suspects in the media like usual play down anything this administration does that helps the American people, as usual. That must have hit a nerve with you considering the rude way you chose to react..

vs.

We noted that section 2718(e) of the Public Health Service Act, which was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, requires that each hospital operating within the United States, for each year, establish (and update) and make public (in accordance with guidelines developed by the Secretary) a list of the hospital’s standard charges for items and services provided by the hospital

:lamo

Just stop. You failed massively. Resist the urge to keep flailing at both topic and poster. It won't somehow make the fail go away.

 

[Greenbeard]

I was going to post where 92% of hospitals were concerned about this, now I don't know what to do with it :2razz:.

The reason they're concerned about it is that hospital charges aren't really prices in the traditional sense (also they're very high). Hospitals don't bring a price to market for the services they're selling in the same way other industries do, which makes all of this very confusing.

 

[Praxas]

Not quite true....Though the ACA did require this sort of reporting, the new regulation from this administration requires them to post online, which I believe is more specific, and a good thing....Is it so hard to say that?

Keep backpeddling, you posted this because you thought it was a “completely new” thing and when you found out the ACA basically did this you backpeddled. Not only that but you, Trunp and the GOP are the ones that are trying to get rid of all this by repealing the ACA without a replacement. You continue to beautifully display your ignorance and dishonesty.

 

[Gaius46]

Regardless of who did it it's at least a step in the right direction. I don't know that medicine will ever be a truly free market but freer is certainly a good thing.

It's appalling the **** hospitals and doctors get away with in terms of pricing their services.

 

[j-mac]

Keep backpeddling, you posted this because you thought it was a “completely new” thing and when you found out the ACA basically did this you backpeddled. Not only that but you, Trunp and the GOP are the ones that are trying to get rid of all this by repealing the ACA without a replacement. You continue to beautifully display your ignorance and dishonesty.

Ok, show me where I thought it was a completely new thing? In fact in the OP articles I posted both said that the ACA had a provision like this, but that this would increase transparency....In your kneejerk to attack, you don't seem to read too closely.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Not quite true....Though the ACA did require this sort of reporting, the new regulation from this administration requires them to post online, which I believe is more specific, and a good thing....Is it so hard to say that?

Funny in your first two posts you don't even mention the ACA requires this type of reporting.

 

[j-mac]

vs.


:lamo

Just stop. You failed massively. Resist the urge to keep flailing at both topic and poster. It won't somehow make the fail go away.

Are you saying that the new rule isn't better than before? Why don't you discuss rather than attack?

 

[Airyaman]

The reason they're concerned about it is that hospital charges aren't really prices in the traditional sense (also they're very high). Hospitals don't bring a price to market for the services they're selling in the same way other industries do, which makes all of this very confusing.

Yes, it is the online component they don't like, because it will confuse people who just see cost.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/t...ces-online-theres-just-one-problem-2018-04-26

 

[Praxas]

Ok, show me where I thought it was a completely new thing? In fact in the OP articles I posted both said that the ACA had a provision like this, but that this would increase transparency....In your kneejerk to attack, you don't seem to read too closely.

Your first couple of posts NEVER mentioned the ACA did it and it wasn't until it was pointed out to you that you finally mentioned the ACA. In fact your first post mentioned this:

In another quiet little reform to chip away the Obamacare and health care monolith

You seemed to think that the ACA didn't do this.

 

[j-mac]

Funny in your first two posts you don't even mention the ACA requires this type of reporting.

From the article cited in my OP:

"Though hospitals are already required to make their prices available in some form, and to allow patients to access their medical records, the new rule aims to simplify both and increase overall transparency."

https://qz.com/1509095/hospital-to-post-the-costs-of-medical-services/

Just stop.

 

[j-mac]

Your first couple of posts NEVER mentioned the ACA did it and it wasn't until it was pointed out to you that you finally mentioned the ACA. In fact your first post mentioned this:



You seemed to think that the ACA didn't do this.

What the hell is your problem with reading the OP's, and following links....I have pointed this out. And it isn't even what the crux of the OP is about....So, fail somewhere else thank you.

 

[j-mac]

Yes, it is the online component they don't like, because it will confuse people who just see cost.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/t...ces-online-theres-just-one-problem-2018-04-26

Who are "they"?