Health Leaders Media
June 5, 2013
The federal government's unprecedented release of hospital pricing data for inpatient and outpatient procedures with the last month comes with one overriding question: How will the information be used?
To find out, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has launched a competition among technology developers to improve consumer understanding and use of data that compare hospital prices. Winners of the RWJF Hospital Price Transparency Challenge will share $120,000 in prize money.
The challenge was announced at the Datapalooza IV, in Washington Monday.
Last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published prices charged by more than 3,000 hospitals for the 100 most common inpatient procedures. The information showed extreme variation in pricing among U.S. hospitals—even those operating in the same communities. Experts say it underscores the urgent need for transparency in the health care system. To read more about the RWJF Hospital Price Transparency Challenge click here.
