29 states get f on disclosure laws for health care prices - health care appliances

Wondering why you can't answer directly how much will it cost you to treat or test?
A big reason: state laws allow hospitals and other health care providers to hide costs before sending you bills.
The price transparency report card, released on Monday, provided F for 29 states and D for 7 states for policies to keep patients and their families dark on prices.
Those who had little transparency requirements were given a failed score.
Only two states.
Massachusetts and New Hampshirerate an A.
According to the transcript of the payment reform catalyst, even they can improve their laws.
The scores come from the non-profit medical Incentive Improvement Institute and the large consortium of medical buyers including GE and Wal-Mart.
Wal-Mart and Boeing.
The high prices charged by US health care providers, often not much to do with actual costs, have recently been the focus of national attention.
The whole period of March 4 was spent on Steven Brier's investigation.
Most consumers do not know the huge changes in prices.
For example, depending on the hospital, the price of knee replacement surgery in the same California market may range from $15,000 to more than $100,000, with no significant difference in quality. High-
Deductible Insurance schemes are becoming more common and employers want consumers with skins in the game to buy around to help lower prices.
However, the author points out that consumers cannot make informed decisions if they cannot compare stores based on price or quality.
"Consumers should know their health care prices as much as they know about restaurants, cars and household appliances," the report said . ".
The grade reflects the quality and scope of pricing data required by countries and the extent to which they disseminate data --
For example, public websites get high marks.
The grades also distinguish fees, the price the hospital says they charge for the service, and what the consumer and her insurance company actually pay.
There is often little connection between the two.
States that requested disclosure of the actual price received a higher score.
The teams plan to update the national reporting card every year.