Ohio Hospital Pays for Info about Competitors' Contracts with Insurers

Alliance Community Hospital in Ohio publishes its prices, but now it wants to show patients how its prices compare with the discounted rates received by insured patients at competing hospitals. Insurers seem to be squirming but not the hospitals, who say they are contractually prohibited from announcing the information but don't care if Alliance collects the information from patients. I wonder if this strategy has as much to do with helping Alliance negotiate with insurers as it does with informing patients.

Akron Beacon Journal (via AHIP Hi-Wire): Patients Can Get $100 to Reveal Hospital Bills, 2008-Apr-15

Alliance Community Hospital wants to pay you $100 or more to find out how much your health insurer paid for care you received at rival hospitals.The hospital announced on Monday that it wants patients from Mercy Medical Center in Canton, Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna or Salem Community Hospital to hand over their bills and corresponding "explanation of benefits. "These EOB statements from insurance companies detail how much medical institutions charge for procedures and treatments, as well as how much insurers and consumers actually end up paying. ... Alliance Community Hospital Chief Executive Stan Jonas said the offer is part of the hospital's attempt to provide consumers with more information about the true cost of medical services.The hospital plans to share the information eventually on a new Web site.