Faherty Laura J, Wong Charlene A, Feingold Jordyn, Li Joan, Town Robert, Fieldston Evan, Werner Rachel M
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program.
Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.
Hosp Pediatr. 2017 Oct;7(10):565-571. doi: 10.1542/hpeds.2017-0020. Epub 2017 Sep 5.
Price transparency is gaining importance as families' portion of health care costs rise. We describe (1) online price transparency data for pediatric care on children's hospital Web sites and state-based price transparency Web sites, and (2) the consumer experience of obtaining an out-of-pocket estimate from children's hospitals for a common procedure.
From 2015 to 2016, we audited 45 children's hospital Web sites and 38 state-based price transparency Web sites, describing availability and characteristics of health care prices and personalized cost estimate tools. Using secret shopper methodology, we called children's hospitals and submitted online estimate requests posing as a self-paying family requesting an out-of-pocket estimate for a tonsillectomy-adenoidectomy.
Eight children's hospital Web sites (18%) listed prices. Twelve (27%) provided personalized cost estimate tool (online form = 5 and/or phone number = 9). All 9 hospitals with a phone number for estimates provided the estimated patient liability for a tonsillectomy-adenoidectomy (mean $6008, range $2622-$9840). Of the remaining 36 hospitals without a dedicated price estimate phone number, 21 (58%) provided estimates (mean $7144, range $1200-$15 360). Two of 4 hospitals with online forms provided estimates. Fifteen (39%) state-based Web sites distinguished between prices for pediatric and adult care. One had a personalized cost estimate tool.
Meaningful prices for pediatric care were not widely available online through children's hospital or state-based price transparency Web sites. A phone line or online form for price estimates were effective strategies for hospitals to provide out-of-pocket price information. Opportunities exist to improve pediatric price transparency.
随着家庭承担的医疗费用比例上升，价格透明度变得愈发重要。我们描述了（1）儿童医院网站和州级价格透明度网站上儿科护理的在线价格透明度数据，以及（2）消费者从儿童医院获取常见手术自付费用估算的体验。
2015年至2016年，我们审核了45个儿童医院网站和38个州级价格透明度网站，描述了医疗价格的可用性和特征以及个性化成本估算工具。我们采用秘密购物者方法，致电儿童医院并以自费家庭的身份提交在线估算请求，要求对扁桃体切除术-腺样体切除术进行自付费用估算。
8个儿童医院网站（18%）列出了价格。12个（27%）提供了个性化成本估算工具（在线表格 = 5个和/或电话号码 = 9个）。所有9个提供估算电话号码的医院都提供了扁桃体切除术-腺样体切除术的预计患者自付费用（平均6008美元，范围2622美元至9840美元）。其余36个没有专用价格估算电话号码的医院中，21个（58%）提供了估算（平均7144美元，范围1200美元至15360美元）。4个有在线表格的医院中有2个提供了估算。15个（39%）州级网站区分了儿科和成人护理的价格。1个有个性化成本估算工具。
通过儿童医院网站或州级价格透明度网站，儿科护理的有意义价格在网上并未广泛可得。电话线或在线表格进行价格估算对医院提供自付价格信息是有效的策略。改善儿科价格透明度仍有机会。
