More patients are turning to hospitals and insurers to provide information on costs of procedures and treatments when making care decisions and choosing providers, according to a new TransUnion Healthcare survey,” Ilene MacDonald reports on a blog at FierceHealthcare, a trade industry group.
“Fifty-five percent of 1,039 insured patients who completed the online survey in early November reported they now pay more attention to the details of their medical bills, and not only costs associated with out-of-pocket expenses, such as premiums, co-payments and co-insurance. They also are linking the billing experience to overall quality of care.
“The survey found certain aspects of the billing process, such as organizations making it easy to find the cost of services and providing clear and accurate bills, are just as important to consumers in choosing providers as doctor consultations and clinical reputations.
” ‘Our survey indicates consumers are becoming increasingly cost aware with their healthcare choices,’ Milton Silva-Craig, president of TransUnion Healthcare, said in the survey announcement.”
