BOISE, Idaho — A Price Variation report from PatientsRightsAdvocate.org sheds lights on local health costs.
- Price variations at 100 hospitals in ten states including here in Idaho.
- The Better Business Bureau adds that everything we’re asked to pay for is a negotiation opportunity.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
A recent study from a group called PatientRightsAdvocate.org showed price variations at 100 hospitals in ten states including here in Idaho. The price variations were for five common medical services.
Cynthia Fisher with PatientRightsAdvocate.org said, “We found an average of over ten times price variation in the same hospital for the same services based on different types of plans patients would have. That’s outrageous! Can you imagine if we went to the gas pumps and we thought we were going to fill our tank for 50 dollars, and the person in front of paid 50 dollars, and we got the same amount of gas for 500 dollars? None us would tolerate that.”
I asked Fisher what are some of the things the consumer/patient can do to protect themselves, and what questions do they need to ask? “The first thing is all patients in this country for three years have the right to know all prices before we get care," Fisher answered.
Cynthia Fisher helped compile this information from the hospitals pricing files from it’s July, 2023 compliance report for five common medical procedures. I asked Fisher what stood out to her from Idaho? “When we looked at hospitals across Idaho and what was outrageous to us, we saw 28 times price difference for an appendectomy. Most are emergency surgeries but one could say if you’re charged 28 times more than what a fair market price is, I think people should speak up about that," said Fisher.
In Idaho for an arthroscopic knee surgery, the ratio of maximum to minimum is 12 to 1.
For caesarian section, the ratio of maximum to minimum is 10 to 1.
And, they [PatientRightsAdvocate.org] break down certain hospitals. For instance, for an MRI of a lower extremity without contrast, St. Alphonsus in Boise and Ontario, Oregon, the minimum insured negotiated price was $131 to $133 but, maximum insured negotiated price was 16 times higher.
"People are being crushed, people are being taken advantage of because they have no idea until they get their bills," Fisher added.
Now before you start to cringe, Dale Dixon from the Better Business Bureau says you are your best advocate. “Ask for prices before a procedure is done. That gives you a lot of leverage, it’s pulling the closet doors back and seeing what’s going on. You can negotiate. We can negotiate everything, everything we’re asked to pay for is a negotiation opportunity.”
Fisher’s says ask specifically about the “All-In” price, and get it in black and white.
"Will you accept my knee replacement all-in, for this price? And if they say no, you can take your business elsewhere," Fisher explained.
And believe it or not, sometimes paying cash will be less than your co-pay. A lot less.
I’m still waiting to hear back from both St. Lukes and St. Alphonsus hospitals about this price variation report.