Unveiling the Impact of Transparency in Coverage Data on Healthcare Prices

By HEOR Staff Writer

October 30, 2023

The Role of Transparency in Coverage Data

In the realm of healthcare, the importance of transparency cannot be overstated. A recent study by Benjamin L. Chartock, PhD; Kosali Simon, PhD; Christopher M. Whaley, PhD, has shed light on how transparency in coverage (TiC) data can significantly influence prices for common healthcare services. The researchers examined TiC price data from Humana, a major national insurer in the USA, highlighting the potential uses of such data for future research.

Unravelling Price Variation

The study’s findings revealed substantial price variation for common healthcare services. The researchers focused on seven procedures, including both ‘shoppable’ and ‘non-shoppable’ services. Interestingly, the variation in prices for these services was similar, regardless of their ‘shoppability’. The study also noted that mean county-level prices were lowest in the central US and Florida, with higher prices observed in the upper-Midwest and Southeast.

The findings of the study make a compelling case for the necessity of further research into the factors that drive price variation in healthcare. The topic of whether or not these prices accurately reflect worth, or whether or not they are an indication of inequalities in market power and negotiation leverage, will need to be investigated more in the future. If the second possibility is correct, then there is an even greater requirement for regulations that guarantee competitive healthcare markets.

In conclusion, the study highlights the potential of informed healthcare consumerism as a lever for managing costs and enhancing patient happiness. It also opens up new possibilities for the use of TiC data in larger settings, which opens up new avenues for using TiC data.

Reference url

Recent Posts

Datroway TNBC Therapy: Transforming First-Line Treatment for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Ca...

By João L. Carapinha

October 13, 2025

Datroway TNBC therapy (datopotamab deruxtecan) has demonstrated statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as a first-line treatment compared to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cance...
Evolving Burden of Obesity in the US: Key Insights on Obesity Prevention Strategies

By HEOR Staff Writer

October 10, 2025

What are the most effective obesity prevention strategies for reducing long-term healthcare and societal costs in the United States? Recent advanced population models reveal that focusing on early, targeted obesity prevention strategies offers far greater value to health systems and society than ...
Paving the Way for Digital Health Technologies: NICE’s Bold New Strategy for the NHS

By HEOR Staff Writer

October 9, 2025

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is expanding its technology appraisals programme, and starting April 2026, this will include digital health technologies that are placed on an equal legal footing with medicines in the NHS. This initiative forms part of the NHS 10-year ...