INDIANAPOLIS – WellPoint, Inc., Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida and Healthcare Service Corporation, which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, will collaborate to provide access to WellPoint's online cost comparison tool.

With this expansion, more than 48 million plan members will have access to cost information.

"We developed this transparency tool in 2006 for use by members in our health plans, with the goal of creating well-informed consumers of healthcare," said Angela Braly, president and CEO, WellPoint, Inc. "We are pleased to be working with other Blue companies so that even more members can have access to health cost information in major cities across the country."

Using Care Comparison, these Blue companies will provide the total estimated cost ranges associated with approximately 35 specific medical procedures performed at more than 2,800 local hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, free-standing radiology facilities or other medical facilities.

"One of the most important ways that we as health insurers can add value to the healthcare system is by analyzing and providing access to meaningful information," said Paul Handel, MD, chief medical officer for HCSC. "This easy-to-access online tool will help our members increase their knowledge as patients and identify opportunities to spend their healthcare dollars more wisely."

The estimated cost ranges provided through Care Comparison are based on combining related services typically performed at each facility at the time of the procedure, not just the procedure itself. In addition, the cost ranges are facility-specific so members can compare the differences in cost between area facilities. Ranges of healthcare cost information will initially be rolled out on a limited basis in each of these states.

"In today's retail environment, consumers are becoming more involved in managing their healthcare - that is not easy in a complex system," said Craig Thomas, chief marketing officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida. "Providing detailed cost and quality information through Care Comparison and our full service contact points allows us to partner with our members and providers to help them make effective and cost-efficient decisions."

Additionally, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has selected Care Comparison as its platform for a national transparency solution for all Blue Plans. BCBSA will use the treatment categories and cost methodology as the core component for its consumer-facing online cost estimation tool.

This arrangement enables BCBSA, WellPoint's affiliated health plans and other Blue plans to continue to work with physicians and facilities to provide members with meaningful healthcare cost data. In turn, members can make more informed choices about their health and healthcare spending. The tool will be customized to reflect the local ownership and health plan in each state, but members will have access to the same information from all states involved with the program.

Photo obtained under Creative Commons license -Ed.