[Music] so back in February I elected to have my
so back in February I elected to have my
so back in February I elected to have my gallbladder out I say elected because it
gallbladder out I say elected because it
gallbladder out I say elected because it was considered an elective procedure
was considered an elective procedure
was considered an elective procedure even though it was linked to a litany of
even though it was linked to a litany of
even though it was linked to a litany of other GI issues but I’m gonna be bitter
other GI issues but I’m gonna be bitter
other GI issues but I’m gonna be bitter about that on another day my point is I
about that on another day my point is I
about that on another day my point is I didn’t plan on having surgery this year
didn’t plan on having surgery this year
didn’t plan on having surgery this year and I certainly wasn’t prepared to pay
and I certainly wasn’t prepared to pay
and I certainly wasn’t prepared to pay for it I knew if I was going to have
for it I knew if I was going to have
for it I knew if I was going to have this procedure I needed to shift my
this procedure I needed to shift my
this procedure I needed to shift my thought process from patient to consumer
thought process from patient to consumer
thought process from patient to consumer and make financially conscious decisions
and make financially conscious decisions
and make financially conscious decisions around the cost of my care especially
around the cost of my care especially
around the cost of my care especially with a higher deductible insurance plan
with a higher deductible insurance plan
with a higher deductible insurance plan like many of us now have in fact high
like many of us now have in fact high
like many of us now have in fact high deductible plans in the insurance market
deductible plans in the insurance market
deductible plans in the insurance market an employer marketplace have increased
an employer marketplace have increased
an employer marketplace have increased to 67 percent since 2010 and over half
to 67 percent since 2010 and over half
to 67 percent since 2010 and over half of US workers have a deductible greater
of US workers have a deductible greater
of US workers have a deductible greater than $1,000 thankfully I work in health
than $1,000 thankfully I work in health
than $1,000 thankfully I work in health care so I knew how to make decisions
care so I knew how to make decisions
care so I knew how to make decisions around the cost of my care while still
around the cost of my care while still
around the cost of my care while still ensuring I was receiving high-quality
ensuring I was receiving high-quality
ensuring I was receiving high-quality care and I steered the ship with my
care and I steered the ship with my
care and I steered the ship with my providers on where I have my labs
providers on where I have my labs
providers on where I have my labs imaging and procedure perform in the end
imaging and procedure perform in the end
imaging and procedure perform in the end I was able to save myself well over
I was able to save myself well over
I was able to save myself well over $2,000 and I achieved this by comparing
$2,000 and I achieved this by comparing
$2,000 and I achieved this by comparing actual cost data from facilities in our
actual cost data from facilities in our
actual cost data from facilities in our region that have comparable quality now
region that have comparable quality now
region that have comparable quality now this is a multi-faceted approach because
this is a multi-faceted approach because
this is a multi-faceted approach because there are many things you need to take
there are many things you need to take
there are many things you need to take into consideration like your deductible
into consideration like your deductible
into consideration like your deductible your coinsurance and our out-of-network
your coinsurance and our out-of-network
your coinsurance and our out-of-network benefits and your out-of-pocket maximum
benefits and your out-of-pocket maximum
benefits and your out-of-pocket maximum but here’s the thing if you have not yet
but here’s the thing if you have not yet
but here’s the thing if you have not yet met your annual out-of-pocket maximum
met your annual out-of-pocket maximum
met your annual out-of-pocket maximum you will likely always be paying towards
you will likely always be paying towards
you will likely always be paying towards something I had two outpatient
something I had two outpatient
something I had two outpatient diagnostic tests as part of this process
diagnostic tests as part of this process
diagnostic tests as part of this process an ultrasound of my abdomen and a cat
an ultrasound of my abdomen and a cat
an ultrasound of my abdomen and a cat scan of my abdomen the cost for me to
scan of my abdomen the cost for me to
scan of my abdomen the cost for me to have both tests that area facility a was
have both tests that area facility a was
have both tests that area facility a was about three hundred and eighty dollars
about three hundred and eighty dollars
about three hundred and eighty dollars the cost for me to have the same
the cost for me to have the same
the cost for me to have the same tests at area facility B was about
tests at area facility B was about
tests at area facility B was about $1,200 now knowing I have a higher
$1,200 now knowing I have a higher
$1,200 now knowing I have a higher deductible health plan and I had applied
deductible health plan and I had applied
deductible health plan and I had applied hardly anything towards my $5,000 pocket
hardly anything towards my $5,000 pocket
hardly anything towards my $5,000 pocket maximum I had to ask myself which of
maximum I had to ask myself which of
maximum I had to ask myself which of these would I rather be paying toward
these would I rather be paying toward
these would I rather be paying toward check out another example which many of
check out another example which many of
check out another example which many of you may find familiar a typical session
you may find familiar a typical session
you may find familiar a typical session of physical therapy after your initial
of physical therapy after your initial
of physical therapy after your initial evaluation is about 45 minutes of
evaluation is about 45 minutes of
evaluation is about 45 minutes of exercise and 15 minutes of hands-on
exercise and 15 minutes of hands-on
exercise and 15 minutes of hands-on manipulation with the therapist that our
manipulation with the therapist that our
manipulation with the therapist that our session at area facility a is about a
session at area facility a is about a
session at area facility a is about a hundred and fifty dollars that same hour
hundred and fifty dollars that same hour
hundred and fifty dollars that same hour session at area facility B is about
session at area facility B is about
session at area facility B is about eight hundred and forty-five dollars but
eight hundred and forty-five dollars but
eight hundred and forty-five dollars but imagine you’re having that hour session
imagine you’re having that hour session
imagine you’re having that hour session two times a week for six weeks which
two times a week for six weeks which
two times a week for six weeks which would you rather be paying toward we
would you rather be paying toward we
would you rather be paying toward we participate in the human experience of
participate in the human experience of
participate in the human experience of consumerism every day we choose what
consumerism every day we choose what
consumerism every day we choose what clothes we wear what cars we drive often
clothes we wear what cars we drive often
clothes we wear what cars we drive often with the intent to finding a
with the intent to finding a
with the intent to finding a high-quality low-cost purchase let’s say
high-quality low-cost purchase let’s say
high-quality low-cost purchase let’s say you’re going to buy a car there is a
you’re going to buy a car there is a
you’re going to buy a car there is a trusted book of a certain color that
trusted book of a certain color that
trusted book of a certain color that allows you to compare the price quality
allows you to compare the price quality
allows you to compare the price quality and reviews of a potential purchase
and reviews of a potential purchase
and reviews of a potential purchase having the knowledge gained from that
having the knowledge gained from that
having the knowledge gained from that book which is now a website and an app
book which is now a website and an app
book which is now a website and an app puts you in the driver’s seat of making
puts you in the driver’s seat of making
puts you in the driver’s seat of making informed decisions all of this got me
informed decisions all of this got me
informed decisions all of this got me thinking our patients doing the same
thinking our patients doing the same
thinking our patients doing the same thing and taking themselves to the
thing and taking themselves to the
thing and taking themselves to the consumer level and their healthcare
consumer level and their healthcare
consumer level and their healthcare experience some are but majority aren’t
experience some are but majority aren’t
experience some are but majority aren’t instead of patients with high deductible
instead of patients with high deductible
instead of patients with high deductible health plans price shopping for lower
health plans price shopping for lower
health plans price shopping for lower cost care they are statistically
cost care they are statistically
cost care they are statistically avoiding care altogether making the case
avoiding care altogether making the case
avoiding care altogether making the case that we could start to see a sicker
that we could start to see a sicker
that we could start to see a sicker population with more complex care needs
population with more complex care needs
population with more complex care needs the low percentage of the population who
the low percentage of the population who
the low percentage of the population who are priced shopping are doing so for
are priced shopping are doing so for
are priced shopping are doing so for what are considered to be some of the
what are considered to be some of the
what are considered to be some of the most shoppable services like cat scans
most shoppable services like cat scans
most shoppable services like cat scans MRIs colonoscopies and mammograms a
MRIs colonoscopies and mammograms a
MRIs colonoscopies and mammograms a recent Harvard study showed a direct
recent Harvard study showed a direct
recent Harvard study showed a direct coral
coral
coral between patience price shopping on the
between patience price shopping on the
between patience price shopping on the procedures I just mentioned and having
procedures I just mentioned and having
procedures I just mentioned and having them performed within 180 days of their
them performed within 180 days of their
them performed within 180 days of their search so what we find is that patients
search so what we find is that patients
search so what we find is that patients who price shop for lower cost care are
who price shop for lower cost care are
who price shop for lower cost care are more likely to close the loop on having
more likely to close the loop on having
more likely to close the loop on having preventive visits translating to better
preventive visits translating to better
preventive visits translating to better health outcomes so who’s on the hook for
health outcomes so who’s on the hook for
health outcomes so who’s on the hook for educating patients about their ability
educating patients about their ability
educating patients about their ability to shop around
to shop around
to shop around it’s that age-old saying that people
it’s that age-old saying that people
it’s that age-old saying that people don’t know what they don’t know
don’t know what they don’t know
don’t know what they don’t know in almost every conversation I have on
in almost every conversation I have on
in almost every conversation I have on this topic and in almost every white
this topic and in almost every white
this topic and in almost every white paper blog post and survey I read there
paper blog post and survey I read there
paper blog post and survey I read there is an overwhelming response that
is an overwhelming response that
is an overwhelming response that patients are just doing what their
patients are just doing what their
patients are just doing what their physicians and advanced practitioners
physicians and advanced practitioners
physicians and advanced practitioners tell them to do and where they tell them
tell them to do and where they tell them
tell them to do and where they tell them to go
to go
to go a typical provider patient conversation
a typical provider patient conversation
a typical provider patient conversation goes something like this you need to
goes something like this you need to
goes something like this you need to have a test done and I’m sending the
have a test done and I’m sending the
have a test done and I’m sending the order to area facility a or oftentimes
order to area facility a or oftentimes
order to area facility a or oftentimes the staff is just picking the first
the staff is just picking the first
the staff is just picking the first facility that pops up in the electronic
facility that pops up in the electronic
facility that pops up in the electronic medical record without any discussion
medical record without any discussion
medical record without any discussion around cost or quality so the patient
around cost or quality so the patient
around cost or quality so the patient goes blindly on their way not
goes blindly on their way not
goes blindly on their way not questioning their providers order and
questioning their providers order and
questioning their providers order and why would they we trust our health care
why would they we trust our health care
why would they we trust our health care providers as we should but as the
providers as we should but as the
providers as we should but as the expectations of our society change so
expectations of our society change so
expectations of our society change so must the items we trust our health care
must the items we trust our health care
must the items we trust our health care providers with there is a big push in
providers with there is a big push in
providers with there is a big push in the movement towards healthcare price
the movement towards healthcare price
the movement towards healthcare price transparency for providers to engage in
transparency for providers to engage in
transparency for providers to engage in cost discussions with patients a New
cost discussions with patients a New
cost discussions with patients a New York Times Series title paying till it
York Times Series title paying till it
York Times Series title paying till it hurts shows that 80% of patients want
hurts shows that 80% of patients want
hurts shows that 80% of patients want their providers to discuss cost with
their providers to discuss cost with
their providers to discuss cost with them understand though this is a
them understand though this is a
them understand though this is a difficult conversation for providers to
difficult conversation for providers to
difficult conversation for providers to have and I’m certain majority of them
have and I’m certain majority of them
have and I’m certain majority of them would argue that this is not what they
would argue that this is not what they
would argue that this is not what they got into medicine to do and I’m not
got into medicine to do and I’m not
got into medicine to do and I’m not advocating that there needs to be this
advocating that there needs to be this
advocating that there needs to be this in depth dollar and cents discussion
in depth dollar and cents discussion
in depth dollar and cents discussion about everything they do there are those
about everything they do there are those
about everything they do there are those of us in this industry who are better
of us in this industry who are better
of us in this industry who are better suited for those discussions quite
suited for those discussions quite
suited for those discussions quite frankly we love having them there does
frankly we love having them there does
frankly we love having them there does though need to be a mutual understanding
though need to be a mutual understanding
though need to be a mutual understanding that cost while still retaining a focus
that cost while still retaining a focus
that cost while still retaining a focus on high quality should be part of our
on high quality should be part of our
on high quality should be part of our discussions and we as healthcare
discussions and we as healthcare
discussions and we as healthcare consumers should be helping with those
consumers should be helping with those
consumers should be helping with those discussions now that said all of this
discussions now that said all of this
discussions now that said all of this doesn’t have
doesn’t have
doesn’t have happen in the exam room or at the front
happen in the exam room or at the front
happen in the exam room or at the front desk of your provider’s office there are
desk of your provider’s office there are
desk of your provider’s office there are multiple online tools starting with your
multiple online tools starting with your
multiple online tools starting with your insurance payers website where you can
insurance payers website where you can
insurance payers website where you can compare cost and quality outside of the
compare cost and quality outside of the
compare cost and quality outside of the insurance arena the industry is seeing a
insurance arena the industry is seeing a
insurance arena the industry is seeing a significant surge in healthcare price
significant surge in healthcare price
significant surge in healthcare price comparison tools and apps which
comparison tools and apps which
comparison tools and apps which aggregate claim and facility published
aggregate claim and facility published
aggregate claim and facility published data based on region similar to the
data based on region similar to the
data based on region similar to the automobile comparison tool I mentioned
automobile comparison tool I mentioned
automobile comparison tool I mentioned earlier you can pull out your phone
earlier you can pull out your phone
earlier you can pull out your phone right now log on to your insurance
right now log on to your insurance
right now log on to your insurance payers website or search for a
payers website or search for a
payers website or search for a healthcare cost estimator and find the
healthcare cost estimator and find the
healthcare cost estimator and find the best price option in your region if my
best price option in your region if my
best price option in your region if my call to action is that we are engaged
call to action is that we are engaged
call to action is that we are engaged consumers and our health care experience
consumers and our health care experience
consumers and our health care experience I feel that I’d be remiss and not
I feel that I’d be remiss and not
I feel that I’d be remiss and not mentioning that this goes far beyond
mentioning that this goes far beyond
mentioning that this goes far beyond price transparency being an engaged
price transparency being an engaged
price transparency being an engaged consumer is not just about understanding
consumer is not just about understanding
consumer is not just about understanding cost Healthcare is undergoing major
cost Healthcare is undergoing major
cost Healthcare is undergoing major transformation largely with the consumer
transformation largely with the consumer
transformation largely with the consumer in mind for example there’s a consumer
in mind for example there’s a consumer
in mind for example there’s a consumer based program called patient Center
based program called patient Center
based program called patient Center medical home this is a government-issued
medical home this is a government-issued
medical home this is a government-issued recognition and it comes with a set of
recognition and it comes with a set of
recognition and it comes with a set of very stringent metrics one of those
very stringent metrics one of those
very stringent metrics one of those metrics is the hold a percentage of your
metrics is the hold a percentage of your
metrics is the hold a percentage of your schedule for same-day appointments I
schedule for same-day appointments I
schedule for same-day appointments I recently had a friend who woke up sick
recently had a friend who woke up sick
recently had a friend who woke up sick and I overheard him call his physician’s
and I overheard him call his physician’s
and I overheard him call his physician’s office who I happened to know as a
office who I happened to know as a
office who I happened to know as a patient Center medical home and there
patient Center medical home and there
patient Center medical home and there are many in our region he described his
are many in our region he described his
are many in our region he described his symptoms as we all would and then I
symptoms as we all would and then I
symptoms as we all would and then I heard him say oh okay well if it gets
heard him say oh okay well if it gets
heard him say oh okay well if it gets any worse I guess I’ll go to the urgent
any worse I guess I’ll go to the urgent
any worse I guess I’ll go to the urgent care he told me he couldn’t be seen for
care he told me he couldn’t be seen for
care he told me he couldn’t be seen for three days when I had him call his
three days when I had him call his
three days when I had him call his physician’s office back to let them know
physician’s office back to let them know
physician’s office back to let them know that he was aware that their a patient
that he was aware that their a patient
that he was aware that their a patient Center medical home and he would like a
Center medical home and he would like a
Center medical home and he would like a same-day appointment if it was available
same-day appointment if it was available
same-day appointment if it was available he was seen within hours knowledge
he was seen within hours knowledge
he was seen within hours knowledge begets power and we as health care
begets power and we as health care
begets power and we as health care consumers have the opportunity to be so
consumers have the opportunity to be so
consumers have the opportunity to be so powerful I encourage you to ask
powerful I encourage you to ask
powerful I encourage you to ask questions engage with your providers
questions engage with your providers
questions engage with your providers shop around and above all search for
shop around and above all search for
shop around and above all search for your human experience in health care
your human experience in health care
your human experience in health care oh and remember all that money I said I
oh and remember all that money I said I
oh and remember all that money I said I saved it went toward a really awesome
saved it went toward a really awesome
saved it went toward a really awesome trip to Mexico
trip to Mexico
trip to Mexico [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
Be First to Comment