Price Shopping for Healthcare

The race is on for the best free cost comparison website. There are quite a few challenges for these sites:

1. How does the site generate a source of revenue to keep it operating?
2. How will it compare services that are along the same grain of detail?
3. How will it simplify procedural terms so that they are understandable and not "medical speak"?

There are quite a few challenges to get a fully functional site operating that's of value to the consumer. However, if such a site exists, will people use it? Will it present a value to the consumer who may only care about out-of-pocket costs. Perhaps, quality and cost share estimates can be luring enough for consumers to start major adoption.

Here are a few players in the game:

pricedoc.com

mymedicalcosts.com

healthcarebluebook.com

How Much is Your Doctor Getting From Big Pharma?

Here's a link to a website which lists doctors across the country who receive over $100,000 in payments from pharmaceutical companies. This is one step toward greater transparency and allowing the patient to make better informed decisions about his/her care.

I'm not saying the doctors on this list are incentivized to push certain drugs over another. I am saying that making this information available to the public is very useful for the patient.

http://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/top_earners

Would You Subsidize Your Coworker's Health Insurance?

Let me pose a question to you to help you think about your own personal beliefs regarding healthcare reform:

You see your coworkers smoking cigarettes, deliberately making unhealthy choices for lunch and avoiding the stairs to take the elevator. You on the other hand, make healthy choices and invest heavily in sweat equity at the gym.

• Should you pay the same insurance premiums as your unhealthy coworkers?
  
• What incentives are needed to change your coworkers behavior?
  
• Or vice-versa, should there be monetary consequences for intentionally living an unhealthy lifestyle?

Lessons from the Germans

Here's an interesting article from McKinsey. This is an interview of a senior executive from the German Ministry of Health.

https://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Health_Care/Hospitals/How_Germany_is_reining_in_health_care_costs_An_interview_with_Franz_Knieps_2534

Call it "socialized health insurance" if you will. Don't get caught up with labeling it as "socialized medicine". U.S. politicians do a great job of scaring the American public of government run healthcare but neither the Obama Adminstration or the German's dictate which doctor you can visit or which hospital to receive services from.

The common denominator in both systems is that YOU as a customer (member) have the right to choose.

Things to think about leading into the next generation of healthcare reform:

• Mandated health insurance coverage e.g. car insurance is required for CA drivers
• Supplemental health insurance to cover "gaps" in coverage. The private market will create new products to meet niche needs.
• Uniform payments for prescription drugs and medical services based on evidence of performance
• Preserve the patients right to choose coverage or providers
• Focus on prevention, wellness programs and disease/care management
• Use claims data to match payments to outcomes