The Iowa Hospital Association today unveiled a new website offering detailed hospital costs. The group’s Perry Meyer says the " Iowa Hospital PricePoint " offers comprehensive information for consumers in one place for the first time.
"In an era of transparency, this is the hospitals of Iowa stepping forward saying we’re going to be transparent," Meyer says. He says they’re voluntarily making the information available. PricePoint will let consumers compare the cost of medical procedures at any hospital in the state.
Meyer says it will also provide detailed discount information, whether a customer is covered by private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. The focus in early 2007 is on the charges for hospital in-patient care, he says. With the passage of time they also expect hospitals to provide their charges for outpatient procedures.