FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup

FAIR Health is an independent, not-for-profit organization that was established to maintain a database to help insurers and consumers determine reimbursement rates for out-of-network charges, and provide patients with a clear, unbiased explanation of the reimbursement process. This first-of-its-kind database will allow consumer to get cost estimates for medical and dental procedures in their geographic area. The database will also help consumer estimate how much their insurer will reimburse for procedures performed "out of network". This website should help patients to clear the cloak of secrecy around the "out of network" reimbursements that the insurance companies work so hard to maintain.

If you think the insurance companies set this up to help consumers understand the insurance process, then think again. This is part of the large settlement following a 2009 investigation by New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo that discovered a conflict of interest between the Ingenix database, which was used by insurers nationwide to set reimbursement rates for "out of network" health services. Ingenix happened to be a subsidiary of UnitedHealth, the second largest insurer in the nation. It was determined that Ingenix had a vested interest in helping set rates low so companies could underpay patients for "out of network" services.

You can check out the website, and encourage your patients to use it too!

http://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/