Price Transparency Website Launched

The Wyoming Hospital Association recently launched a website that enables consumers to look up and compare hospital charges for any hospital in the state.
According the WHA, Wyoming PricePoint represents a significant price transparency effort that will provide the people of Wyoming with the information they need to make good decisions about their healthcare.

"Wyoming’s hospitals are committed to transparency, and our new PricePoint web site is a reflection of that commitment," said Dan Perdue, president of the Wyoming Hospital Association.

"Many states require their hospitals to report charge information, but with PricePoint, our hospitals are voluntarily and proactively providing that information to the people of Wyoming."

Using Wyoming PricePoint, consumers will be able to select hospitals and health conditions, and then receive an online report of the number of discharges, the length of stay, average charge, average charge per day, and the median charge for the selected hospital and for hospitals with similar patient volumes.

In addition to charge information, Wyoming PricePoint also provides context to help consumers understand why charges for the same condition may vary between hospitals.

"There are a number of factors that contribute to the complexity of hospital charges," Perdue said.

"So it’s critical to make sure that consumers not only have dollar figures, but that they also have clear explanations about those figures. Wyoming PricePoint provides both."

The first phase of the Wyoming PricePoint initiative provides web-based access to inpatient charge data for every hospital in Wyoming. For each selected hospital and selected condition, consumers will be able to
compare:

• Discharges
• Length of stay
• Average charge
• Average charge per day
• Median charge for the selected hospital and for hospitals with similar patient volumes

This data provides consumers with the basic information they need to understand what their hospital will charge for a particular procedure. Although the site provides basic information, it is important for consumers to know that to fully understand their charges, they should also consult with their physician and insurance company to determine the actual, final cost.

Subsequent phases of the project will include outpatient charge data, and later, detailed cost estimates that include insurance and physician data.

Ultimately, the WHA envisions a web-based price calculator that will enable consumers to calculate their specific costs, based on their medical conditions, insurance plans and physicians.

Consumers can visit Wyoming PricePoint online at www.wyopricepoint.com, or link to the site from www.ccmh.net/AsOurPatient/WyomingPricePoint.