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Poor accessibility to consumer pricing exists for elective hernia repair surgery
Kerry A Gaffney1, Joshua A Bloom1, Tina Moon1
1Tufts Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA, USA.
American Journal of Surgery
|July 12, 2023
Summary
Hospital price transparency regulations are not meeting patient needs for elective hernia repairs. Online cost estimators are underperforming, showing significant price variations and low success rates for obtaining accurate cost estimates.
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Healthcare Policy
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Federal mandates require hospitals to improve price transparency for consumers.
- Evaluation of compliance with these regulations for elective hernia repairs was necessary.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess hospital compliance with price transparency mandates for elective hernia repairs.
- To determine the accessibility and accuracy of online cost-estimate tools for these procedures.
Main Methods:
- Searched hospital systems for elective hernia repair costs using personal health insurance.
- Collected data on time to access cost tools, obtain estimates, and price ranges.
- Included 14 medical centers nationwide with cost-estimate calculators.
Main Results:
- Average success rate for obtaining inguinal hernia repair costs was 48%.
- Average success rate for obtaining ventral hernia repair costs was 12%.
- Significant price variations were observed among successful cost estimates.
Conclusions:
- Online cost-estimate calculators are underperforming despite federal mandates.
- There is a critical need for more accessible and reliable cost estimates for patients.
- Improved price transparency is essential for patients undergoing elective hernia repair.
