Contact: Stephanie Suran, Communications Manager
717-232-6787 or
Harrisburg, PA - March 30, 2011 - The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4) today launched a consumer-friendly interactive database of Medicare payments for common health care services as a means to aid consumers in making more informed health care choices. For each Pennsylvania county, the database provides the amount Medicare pays hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers for outpatient procedures, such as colonoscopies, cataract surgeries and MRIs.
“This new website provides Pennsylvanians with the amount Medicare pays for routine medical services so that those participating in high deductible health plans or who have no health insurance coverage at all can make the most efficient use of their health care dollars,” said Joe Martin, PHC4’s Executive Director. “I would like to thank legislative leaders in the Pennsylvania House, in particular Representative Jerry Stern (R-Hollidaysburg), who helped provide the genesis for this important cost-containment initiative through his introduction of House Bill 2028 in 2007.”
Consumers can also benefit by using this database to better understand the relative cost of health care services today. This cost-containment initiative provides health care consumers with a realistic sense of the amount paid by Medicare to health care providers. This new website feature can assist consumers in fee negotiations and in finding quality health care in their area at the best possible price.
“This information can empower health care consumers, particularly those in high deductible health plans paying more out-of-pocket costs, to make more informed decisions about the health care services they seek,” said Mr. Martin. “Tools like this, along with other cost-containment measures, can play an important role in bending the cost curve downward.”
Medicare payment rates can serve as benchmark rates within the health care payment system. Medical providers typically receive actual payments that are considerably less than the listed charge; Medicare generally reimburses at a lower rate than private sector health plans.
In February of 2011, three standing committees of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives – Health, Insurance and Human Services – met jointly for a bipartisan informational session with PHC4 so members could provide suggestions to make the database more user-friendly and actionable.
PHC4 is an independent state agency charged with collecting, analyzing and reporting information that can be used to improve the quality and restrain the cost of health care in Pennsylvania. PHC4’s new database can be accessed online at http://www.phc4.org.