AANS Beyond 2021: Full Collection-Cost transparency in neurosurgery: are we enabling cost-conscious and value based surgical practice?

Cost transparency in neurosurgery: are we enabling cost-conscious and value based surgical practice?

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video transcript discusses the rising healthcare costs in the US and how it affects consumers. The accessibility and usefulness of cost information for high-cost and specialized procedures like neurosurgery are examined. A research project conducted Google searches for non-emergent neurosurgical procedures to determine the availability of cost information for patients. The study found that the majority of websites providing cost information were clinical sites, followed by peer-reviewed publications and cost transparency sites. There were significant variations in the availability of cost information based on location and procedure. Price transparency websites were more likely to provide fair prices and ranges for local providers, but data sources and methods were often undisclosed. The lack of itemized breakdowns and bundled costs limited the usefulness of the available information. The importance of cost transparency in empowering patients and potentially lowering healthcare costs is emphasized. The 2020 Transparency and Coverage Bill may bring changes in publicly available cost information for neurosurgical procedures.

Keywords

healthcare costs

consumers

neurosurgery

cost information

research project