Fast Takes: News & Trend Lines, December 2013
Survey: Cost transparency major factor in provider and plan choice
A survey of insured health care consumers released last month by TransUnion, a credit information and information management services company, reveals that 55 percent of consumers have started paying more attention to the details of their medical bills during the past year. Two-thirds (67 percent) of respondents say they want details about their out-of-pocket costs as well as costs covered by their insurers. In addition, 75 percent of respondents indicate that previous bills and costs have been either very important (42 percent) or extremely important (33 percent) in their decisions to enroll or stay enrolled in health plans.