Who is watching hospital quality, price transparency?

Mar 19 2013

Kaiser Health News takes a look at the organizations that evaluate hospital quality. In addition, KHN reports on a grading system for state price transparency laws.

Kaiser Health News: Hospital Ratings Are In The Eye Of The Beholder
Kaiser Health News staff writer Jordan Rau reports: "Evaluations of hospitals are proliferating, giving patients unprecedented insight into institutions where variations in quality can determine whether they live or die. Many have similar names, such as 'Best Hospitals Honor Roll,' 'America's Best Hospitals' and '100 Top Hospitals.' Illinois, Florida and other states have created their own report cards. In some places, such as California, there are more than a dozen organizations offering assessments on hospital quality" (Rau, 3/18).

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: 29 States Get 'F' For Price Transparency Laws
Wonder why you can't get a straight answer on how much a health care procedure will cost you? One big reason: State laws which allow hospitals and other providers to keep costs hidden until they send you the bill. A report card on price transparency released today gives 29 states an 'F' and seven states a 'D' for policies that keep patients and their families in the dark on prices. The failing grade went to those with practically no transparency requirements (Mitchell, 3/18).