Health Business Blog » Blog Archive » What does all this medical stuff cost anyway?

by David E. Williams of the Health business blog - My good friend Dr. Giovanni Colella, CEO of Ventana is quoted in Tackling the Mystery of How Much It Costs in today’s New York Times. (Too bad they referred to his company as Ventura –perhaps the writer or editor was unconsciously channeling Governor Jesse.) Colella’s company is helping employees and employers understand what they’re paying for medical services. That’s information that should be routinely available but rarely is. Lack of transparency is one reason medical prices are sky high. As an illustration, Ventana adviser Dr. Alan Garber –a health economist at Stanford and one of the sharpest guys I’ve met– describes how even he got tripped up in out-of-network charges when his wife was in the hospital. (An out-of-network anesthesiologist provided services, even though the hospital itself was in-network.) The article begins in typical fashion, highlighting the oddity of medical pricing. Read More