Hospital price data published
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
CMS posts payment information on its website for the 30 most common elective procedures and reasons for admissions, including implantation of defibrillators and hip and knee replacements. Posted June 1 to kick off the agency's transparency initiative, the data shows the service volumes and Medicare payment ranges for all hospitals by county to help consumers compare price and quality of care (1"The Gray Sheet" March 20, 2006, p. 13). The agency plans to add geographically based payment information for ambulatory surgery centers this summer, and outpatient and physician services in the fall...