The insurance company, Priority Health, developed the app and launched it in January, according to MLive. Patients can search for a particular procedure and view the prices at facilities nearby. If a patient’s first choice is priced above market average, the app will make suggestions on how to lower the cost by selecting different physician and facility combinations.
Michigan outpaces other states in high-deductible health insurance plans, causing patients to incur more out-of-pocket costs, according to the report. The app calculates the cost of the procedure based on the individual’s health insurance plan and his or her deductible, listing the estimated total cost the patient will pay. The comparison tool is also available on Priority Health’s website.
“The more information we can give you at your fingertips, that is really the key,” Richard Breon, the CEO of Spectrum Health, Priority Health’s parent company, told MLive. “You should be able to compare things.”
