Are you like most Americans when you receive the bill for services provided by a hospital or healthcare facility? Many times, the bill, or the group of bills, you get are so confusing you really aren’t sure what you are paying and what was actually covered your insurance company.
The Obama administration wants to help you get a better understanding of what the bill means and what services were covered, and to reach that goal, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a contest. HHS has asked health care groups, developers, designers and tech firms to come up with a system of billing that is more simple and can be understood by everyone.
One of the most aggravating parts of having an illness or surgery is the sorting through the bills you receive from the hospital, doctors, radiologists, and other professional services, many whose name or company you never heard during your treatment. Add to that the explanation of benefits from your insurance provider, which in many cases is not an explanation at all, and the process can leave you frustrated and wondering if you actually got what you paid for.
HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell said the contest is hoping to pave the way for progress by making the process more simple and something that patients can understand. In announcing the contest, Burwell said, “This challenge is part of HHS’ larger effort to put patients at the center of their own health care.”
A number of institutions, including medical centers, have said they will support the initiative and will allow the contest-winning programs to be tested within their billing and support systems. Among those are Cambia Health Solutions, Geisinger Health System, INTEGRIS Health, The MetroHealth System, Providence Health and Services, and the University of Utah Health Care. Those organizations alone account for over 10 million patient visits per year.
Two awards will be given out in the contest, with one to the designer of a bill that is the easiest to comprehend, and the other to the innovator of a strategy of transformation, targeting what patients see and do while undergoing the process.
The contest will accept entries through August 10, with winners being announced in September, with each winner receiving a $5,000 cash prize.