Companies such as Castlight, which has raised $100 million from investors, are launching websites aimed to help consumers with healthcare decisions. Castlight uses compiled paid claims data to tell consumers what physicians, labs and hospitals charge for services.
CareOperative, which runs HealthCareBlueBook.com, ClearCost Health and Change Healthcare are also new companies seeking to help employers identify less costly physicians and providers through data-heavy websites.
One factor driving the growth of these websites is the growing trend of employees choosing high-deductible health plans. Many employees who have to pay more for healthcare are seeking transparency in the overall cost of care they receive. Thirteen percent of U.S. employees are on a plan that requires employees to pay for most health costs out-of-pocket; that’s up from 3 percent just five years ago.
