Hoosiers can compare health care prices and quality on a new state website.
The newly launched Indiana All Payer Claims Database was authorized in 2020 legislation. The website is overseen by the Indiana Department of Insurance, and is designed to help increase transparency in health care costs. The website uses insurance claims data from public and private health care payers to track the cost, utilization and quality of health care across the state, according to local lawmakers.
“Whether it’s an emergency or a routine check-up, no one should be blindsided when the bill comes,” State Rep. Robb Greene, R-Shelbyville, said in a joint statement from the Johnson County House Republican delegation. “This new tool will promote transparency and help Hoosiers decide what providers are right for them.”
With the APCD, Hoosiers can see what other patients have paid for common procedures across regions, providers and insurance plans. Additionally, the database includes a list of health care providers that perform services within certain distances from a zip code, the average out-of-pocket costs for a service and the quality rating for that facility.
For example, Hoosiers needing a knee replacement can select their insurance, procedure and zip code on the database to view a list of nearby health care providers that perform the service, the quality rating for that facility and the average out-of-pocket cost, local lawmakers said.
“Transparency is key to empowering patients,” State Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, said in the statement. “By making health care costs and quality ratings easily accessible, we’re giving Hoosiers the knowledge they need to take control of their health care choices and budgets.”
The goals of the database are to inform Hoosiers seeking medical care, identify state health care needs, support health care policy, and improve the quality and affordability of health care in the state, local lawmakers said. Indiana ranked the eighth highest in a recent study by the RAND Corp., a non-profit think tank. Indiana prices achieved that ranking in the study that compared the cost of hospital visits, surgery, medications and more.
“With this online resource, we’re providing Hoosiers a simple and effective way to compare medical costs and services,” State Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, said in the statement. “It ensures they’re able to find the right care without unnecessary financial strain.”
The information collected by the APCD complies with the security standards outlined in the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, and the U.S. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. Onpoint Health Data, the Indiana APCD administrator, is also certified by HITRUST, an industry-leading standard in health data security that uses both federal and state security requirements, local lawmakers said.
“Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to health care,” State Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, said in the statement. “This new tool gives Hoosiers a way to plan for their medical needs, compare providers and make informed choices that align with their budgets and health care goals.”
Hoosiers can visit apcd.idoi.in.gov to compare health care prices and quality, and find out more information. Questions and suggestions for the current or future reports and dashboards can be submitted by email at [email protected].
