Skip to main content

Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Faherty, LJ; Wong, CA; Feingold, J; Li, J; Town, R; Fieldston, E; Werner, RM
Published in: Hosp Pediatr
October 2017

OBJECTIVES: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: Eight children's hospital Web sites (18%) listed prices. Twelve (27%) provided personalized cost estimate tool (online form n = 5 and/or phone number n = 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Hosp Pediatr

DOI

ISSN

2154-1663

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

7

Issue

10

Start / End Page

565 / 571

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Internet
  • Humans
  • Hospitals, Pediatric
  • Health Expenditures
  • Health Care Costs
  • Disclosure
  • Commerce
  • Child
  • 4203 Health services and systems
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Faherty, L. J., Wong, C. A., Feingold, J., Li, J., Town, R., Fieldston, E., & Werner, R. M. (2017). Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement. Hosp Pediatr, 7(10), 565–571. https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2017-0020
Faherty, Laura J., Charlene A. Wong, Jordyn Feingold, Joan Li, Robert Town, Evan Fieldston, and Rachel M. Werner. “Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement.Hosp Pediatr 7, no. 10 (October 2017): 565–71. https://doi.org/10.1542/hpeds.2017-0020.
Faherty LJ, Wong CA, Feingold J, Li J, Town R, Fieldston E, et al. Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement. Hosp Pediatr. 2017 Oct;7(10):565–71.
Faherty, Laura J., et al. “Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement.Hosp Pediatr, vol. 7, no. 10, Oct. 2017, pp. 565–71. Pubmed, doi:10.1542/hpeds.2017-0020.
Faherty LJ, Wong CA, Feingold J, Li J, Town R, Fieldston E, Werner RM. Pediatric Price Transparency: Still Opaque With Opportunities for Improvement. Hosp Pediatr. 2017 Oct;7(10):565–571.

Published In

Hosp Pediatr

DOI

ISSN

2154-1663

Publication Date

October 2017

Volume

7

Issue

10

Start / End Page

565 / 571

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Internet
  • Humans
  • Hospitals, Pediatric
  • Health Expenditures
  • Health Care Costs
  • Disclosure
  • Commerce
  • Child
  • 4203 Health services and systems