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Welcome to VHHA PricePoint
There are a number of ways in which Virginia hospitals are supporting
consumer-driven health care, the most recent of which is by providing easy
public access to current and valid hospital information.
This year Virginia Hospitals and Healthcare Association (VHHA) partnered with
the Wisconsin Hospital Association to produce VHHA PricePoint, a
consumer-friendly database of hospital charges, utilization and payer mix. We
are also working on a data system for hospital quality and safety that will be
added to our public reporting resource programs.
VHHA member hospitals and health systems feel strongly that understanding how
to use this information is just as important as knowing how to access the data.
For instance, in most cases, out-of-pocket hospital costs for privately insured
patients are determined by their health insurance policies, which have
negotiated specific discounts with a hospital or health system. The bill does
not reflect the actual hospital costs. However, a growing number of Virginia
residents are being covered by so-called consumer-directed health plans, under
which the billed charge may factor into the amount that a patient would pay for
a specific procedure at the hospital. In order to accurately compare charges
from hospital A with hospital B, the consumer needs to understand what the data
reflects.
VHHA PricePoint achieves both access and education. VHHA PricePoint provides:
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Aggregate discount information for each hospital for the three major kinds of
health care coverage – private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid. This
information allows users to understand how hospitals’ charges compare to the
amount of revenue they actually collect for services provided to the three
patient categories.
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Hospital charge information for all Virginia hospitals, all services, and the
average length of stay.
Publicly reported hospital charge, quality and safety data may not answer every
question, but it should – at a minimum – provide a good and factual starting
point for more informed discussion between consumers and insurers or consumers
and providers of care.
Hospitals and health systems in Virginia have financial assistance policies
designed to help low-income patients pay their hospital bills. These policies
explain who is eligible for free or discounted care. Typically eligibility is
based on the patient’s income level, but other criteria may apply. Assistance
may be available to both uninsured and underinsured individuals. To get
information on a particular hospital’s policies, use the contact information or
financial policy web site link that appears on the query results page for each
hospital. To begin, click on the “Begin Query” button below:
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