Health Care Costs: A Novel Idea
March 31, 2008
More often than not, the news on health care insurance and associated costs is dim at best. Many older people can remember when paying for medical care was a fairly straightforward process. You went to the doctor and you knew right away what your visit would cost. Today, that has all changed and most people have no idea what they are paying for when they visit the doctor or clinic.
One doctor in Fort Meyers, Florida has made a move to change that. His name is Dr. H. Lee Adkins and he is a primary care physician. Dr. Adkins recently changed the information contained on his web site by posting what he charges for everything from office visits to lab work. A look at his web site reveals that an initial office visit can run from $75 to $125. Lab work ranges from $8 for a glucose blood test to $100 for the human Papilloma virus test.
This unique and refreshing move on the doctor’s part is associated with a national push toward greater transparency in health care. One issue is the fact that many Americans are without health insurance and they want to know what the costs are for certain procedures. There is also the issue of those who have insurance but are under high-deductible health plans that force them to consider the cost of services.
Thirty-three states, including Florida and Michigan, have laws that require price transparency, according to the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. Some medical and policy experts believe greater transparency will lower care costs.
According to industry reports, nationally, there are 47 million Americans without health insurance. This number is likely to increase as the economy slides and more people lose their health insurance due to job losses.