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With health insurance premiums rising faster than inflation, policymakers look at different solutions to try to tame costs. KFF Health News reported on the current administration's executive order to mandate transparency healthcare pricing. This order is reminiscent of a similar directive issued in a previous term. While that directive was considered "pretty bold," the article lists a number of problems with the rollout, including enforcement and prices for procedures not actually performed by the indicated providers (e.g. a dentist's price for a knee replacement). The chief executive of a non-profit health policy research group called pricing transparency "a critical first step," not a silver bullet.

With health insurance premiums rising faster than inflation, policymakers look at different solutions to try to tame costs. KFF Health News reported on the current administration's executive order to mandate transparency healthcare pricing. This order is reminiscent of a similar directive issued in a previous term. While that directive was considered "pretty bold," the article lists a number of problems with the rollout, including enforcement and prices for procedures not actually performed by the indicated providers (e.g. a dentist's price for a knee replacement). The chief executive of a non-profit health policy research group called pricing transparency "a critical first step," not a silver bullet.

DocSpot aspires to include pricing transparency data in its provider profiles, although the timing of that feature is unclear. Hopefully, requirements set up by the current administration will make the data easier to interpret for the benefit of patients.

Many rural areas experience a shortage of medical providers, and KFF Health News reported that "more than one-fourth of the state's [Montana] residents live in an area with a shortage of primary care health professionals." The article lists some of the ways that the state legislature is considering to address that shortage. One pending bill, for example, would recognize licenses issued in other states for physician assistants and some others. Another bill would let physician assistants be considered "treating physicians" for the purposes of workers' compensation.

Many rural areas experience a shortage of medical providers, and KFF Health News reported that "more than one-fourth of the state's [Montana] residents live in an area with a shortage of primary care health professionals." The article lists some of the ways that the state legislature is considering to address that shortage. One pending bill, for example, would recognize licenses issued in other states for physician assistants and some others. Another bill would let physician assistants be considered "treating physicians" for the purposes of workers' compensation.

The shortage of medical professionals is a challenge that the nation will increasingly face, and it will be interesting to see how various institutions try to meet that challenge. Some solutions (such as recognizing licenses from other states) might work at the state or regional level, but more comprehensive solutions would likely be necessary at the national level.

KFF Health News reported on the state of New York's recent efforts to encourage the disclosure of medical costs to patients. Many practices require patients to agree in writing to pay for all charges not covered by insurance (requiring patients to sign "blank checks"), and a state law was recently passed to prohibit such practices (especially given that patients often are not presented with actual cost estimates when they are asked to sign those forms). Implementation of the law was delayed indefinitely. However, "Doctors and other providers would still be obligated to have the cost discussion with patients before the patient is asked to sign the form agreeing to pay for the service."

KFF Health News reported on the state of New York's recent efforts to encourage the disclosure of medical costs to patients. Many practices require patients to agree in writing to pay for all charges not covered by insurance (requiring patients to sign "blank checks"), and a state law was recently passed to prohibit such practices (especially given that patients often are not presented with actual cost estimates when they are asked to sign those forms). Implementation of the law was delayed indefinitely. However, "Doctors and other providers would still be obligated to have the cost discussion with patients before the patient is asked to sign the form agreeing to pay for the service."

Even though details still need to be worked out, it does seem that there is growing dissatisfaction with the status quo. Very few other industries (if any) have a standard practice of requiring their customers to agree to pay before the customers know the costs of the product or service. While it is true that complications can arise and that can make it difficult for providers to accurately estimate total costs, patients should not be expected to bear all of the challenges of that uncertainty.

Despite many efforts to curb growth in healthcare costs, KFF Health News reports that health insurance premiums continue to rise faster than inflation. Focusing on California, the article reports that "Average monthly premiums for families with employer-provided health coverage in California's private sector nearly doubled over the last 15 years, from just over $1,000 in 2008 to almost $2,000 in 2023 ... That's more than twice the rate of inflation. ... Average premiums for families with employer-provided health coverage grew as fast nationwide as they did in California from 2008 through 2023." A practical effect of this is that "During the last two decades, the cost of health insurance premiums and deductibles in California rose from about 4% of median household income to about 12%."

Despite many efforts to curb growth in healthcare costs, KFF Health News reports that health insurance premiums continue to rise faster than inflation. Focusing on California, the article reports that "Average monthly premiums for families with employer-provided health coverage in California's private sector nearly doubled over the last 15 years, from just over $1,000 in 2008 to almost $2,000 in 2023 ... That's more than twice the rate of inflation. ... Average premiums for families with employer-provided health coverage grew as fast nationwide as they did in California from 2008 through 2023." A practical effect of this is that "During the last two decades, the cost of health insurance premiums and deductibles in California rose from about 4% of median household income to about 12%."

The article does mention that "California is trying to lower health care costs by setting statewide spending growth caps, which state officials hope will curb premium increases. ... Other states that imposed similar caps saw health care costs rise more slowly than states that did not." The central enforcement mechanism appears to be fining healthcare organizations whose growth in spending exceeds a 3.5% target. While these efforts may seem promising, previous efforts to slow the growth in costs have also appeared promising at different points in time. Mandating limits to growth will likely cause organizations to look for exemptions of some sort or potentially trim quality of care.

KFF Health News reports that to address a looming shortage of physicians, some states have made it easier for physicians trained in other countries to practice in the US. The previous requirements seem wasteful: "Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license." The article reports that "at least nine states have dropped this requirement for some doctors with international training" with over "a dozen other states are considering similar legislation." Nevertheless, foreign-trained doctors sill need to "pass the standard three-part exam that all physicians take to become licensed in the U.S."

KFF Health News reports that to address a looming shortage of physicians, some states have made it easier for physicians trained in other countries to practice in the US. The previous requirements seem wasteful: "Until recently, every state required physicians who completed a residency or similar training abroad to repeat the process in the U.S. before obtaining a full medical license." The article reports that "at least nine states have dropped this requirement for some doctors with international training" with over "a dozen other states are considering similar legislation." Nevertheless, foreign-trained doctors sill need to "pass the standard three-part exam that all physicians take to become licensed in the U.S."

Some supporters see this relaxing of requirements as a way of addressing physician shortages, particularly in certain areas, since a number of laws "require the [foreign-trained] doctors to work for several years in a rural or underserved area." Requirements such as those can benefit some rural hospitals that experience difficulties when trying to hire qualified physicians.

Some opponents seem to believe that the way to address the physician shortage is to instead better compensate physicians and to accelerate training "for nurse practitioners and physician assistants who want to become doctors." In a landscape in which health insurance premiums have generally outpaced inflation for decades and where many are uninsured due to the cost of health insurance, simply raising physician compensation seems to be an difficult solution. Other solutions, such as the suggested expansion of loan repayments, might help.