Area legislators encourage Hoosiers to take advantage of a new state website to compare health care prices and quality.
In 2020, state lawmakers passed a law establishing the newly launched Indiana All Payer Claims Database, which is overseen by the Indiana Department of Insurance, to help increase transparency in health care costs. The website collects insurance claims data from public and private health care payers to track the cost, utilization and quality of health care across the state.
“Consumers compare prices for cars, homes and any other major expenses they plan on working into their personal budgets,” said State Rep. Donna Schaibley, sponsor of the 2020 law. “With many still struggling to access affordable health care, this new online tool can help Hoosiers make more informed decisions and choose the services and providers that best meet their needs.”
State Rep. Becky Cash (R-Zionsville) said the APCD lets Hoosiers search what other patients have paid for common procedures across regions, providers and insurance plans. Additionally, the database includes a list of health care providers that perform services within certain distances from a zip code, the average out-of-pocket costs for a service and the quality rating for that facility. For example, Hoosiers needing a knee replacement can select their insurance, procedure and zip code on the database to view a list of nearby health care providers that perform the service, the quality rating for that facility and the average out-of-pocket cost.
“Patients deserve to have an idea of how much they will owe for a procedure before it happens to avoid getting hit with unexpected and costly bills later,” Cash said. “While we continue to look for solutions to the rising cost of health care, Hoosiers can better equip themselves as consumers through this database.”
According to State Rep. Mark Genda (R-Frankfort), the goals of the database are to inform Hoosiers seeking medical care, identify state health care needs, support health care policy, and improve the quality and affordability of health care in the state.
“Whether it’s looking up the average cost of an x-ray or comparing the costs of a procedure at different locations, this tool can help Hoosiers ensure they are getting the best quality and price,” Genda said. “Many consumers want to know their out-of-pocket expenses upfront and the availability of care nearby before deciding whether to move forward with a procedure, and that’s why this website can be a great resource.”
State Rep. Jeff Thompson (R-Lizton) said information collected by the APCD complies with the security standards outlined in the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act also known as HIPAA and the U.S. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. Onpoint Health Data, the Indiana APCD administrator, is also certified by HITRUST, an industry-leading standard in health data security that uses both federal and state security requirements.
“Hoosiers deserve to know how much they will owe for a procedure and be able to look at different options before receiving treatment,” Thompson said. “This database can help ensure patients are given an accurate picture of their medical expenses, so they can make more informed decisions regarding their health care.”
Hoosiers can visit apcd.idoi.in.gov to compare health care prices and quality, and find out more information. Questions and suggestions for the current or future reports and dashboards can be submitted by email at [email protected].
