Health care gets a price tag
It is used to be that doctors posted their fees on their office wall. Then came Medicare and health insurance, and no one really knew what doctors were charging, what insurers were paying and what patients were getting for their premiums.
Thirty-three states, including the Florida, so far have those some sort of laws requiring price transparency, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. Some medical and policy experts believe that greater transparency will lower care costs.
Nationally, 47 million Americans are without any insurance, according to industry reports. This figure is likely to grow as the economy slides. Fearing the cost of care, many who are uninsured won’t seek help until their conditions land them all the in emergency rooms.