Two association members, The MetroHealth System and University of Utah Health Care, will help the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) test potential solutions to improving the medical billing process.
Recognizing that some patients struggle to understand their bills, HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell announced “A Bill You Can Understand” challenge during the Health Datapalooza conference this week, in Washington, DC.
The purpose of the challenge, sponsored by AARP and administered by design agency Mad*Pow, is to solicit new approaches to medical billing that are less confusing for patients. In the United States, patients often receive bills from multiple physicians, laboratories, and hospitals, which can create confusion about amounts owed and insurance plan coverage. HHS sees this challenge as part of the agency’s larger effort to put patients at the center of their own health care.
MetroHealth and the University of Utah are among six organizations nationally that will test or implement winning solutions for their patients. For more information, including how to apply, visit the challenge website.