Yes, I wear a lot of hats and many people who know me in one hat sometimes don't know about the others, LOL!! You are right that it is an absolute racket!!!
There is still a long way to go concerning transparency. Most hospitals aren’t compliant. Machine Readable Files can only be read by machines, not your average consumer. There’s been some good progress in the area of surprise billing getting claims data remains nearly impossible. Baby steps
What a journey! When Mark Galvin and I met you and others in 2018/19 on healthcare price transparency, I had no idea what you had to go through. And for something that should be obvious to the most casual observer: Transparency and the ability to use that transparency to intelligently shop for any service, including healthcare, will result in lower prices and high quality.
So glad you stuck with this, Katy.
On a side note, I've been trying to get the attention of CMS, OPM, and others to show how the use of a good application can de-mystify how to use healthcare price transparency by a consumer to select the best, most cost effective health care solution for them.
Full disclosure, I do some work for TALON that has such a solution.
Hi Dan, yes, you and Mark in those early days were critical to actually showing to some of the naysayers what was possible with pricing information! I'm grateful for you for your work then and the continued expansion of it with Talon even now!
I love this and can't wait to learn more about navigating around the system and getting better care. I am sure I am not the only one who faced sticker shock this sign-up insurance season. My Anthem BCBS insurance (Blue Value level--Avoid!) was $950+ in 2025. In 2026, the SAME plan is nearly $1300/month with a 50% co-pay AFTER you hit the $6K deductible. UGH. So I get the privilege of paying more for less. Adding insult to injury, EVERY doctor of mine in my area (including the entire Northside Hospital system!) in a huge suburb of Atlanta) has pulled out of the Blue (No)Value plan, forcing me to drive 100+ miles round-trip for any and every appointment through the Emory Healthcare system. #BeyondFrustrating
BTW: Here's a hack readers can try: I accidentally found out doctors will let me pay the "cash or Self-pay price" since I have insurance, but they no longer take it. Real life example: What would have been charged to the insurance for an office visit ($171) and an in-house X-ray ($80), and cost me $75 (specialist visit) + ~$80+ for x-ray, only cost me $92 ($67 office visit and $25 x-ray)! All because I asked for the self-pay option.
If I could do this for everything and NOT have to pay $1300/mo to feed a collapsing healthcare system, I would be ecstatic.
Catherine, you have raised the EXACT issue I'm going to be writing more about, my dear!! There's gold in the self-pay solution, but, as you point out, because normal people can't afford to self-pay for everything, it's not a scalable solution in the *individual* market. Stay tuned.
What an education, an eye opener your article is Katy! The comments by your readers as well. Thank you for fighting for us Katy! You remind me of William Wilberforce. God bless you.
Wow! I had no idea you were a part of this!
We definitely have a long way to go, but people are becoming more and more aware of the scam that is the Healthcare system thanks to people like you!
Yes, I wear a lot of hats and many people who know me in one hat sometimes don't know about the others, LOL!! You are right that it is an absolute racket!!!
There is still a long way to go concerning transparency. Most hospitals aren’t compliant. Machine Readable Files can only be read by machines, not your average consumer. There’s been some good progress in the area of surprise billing getting claims data remains nearly impossible. Baby steps
Exactly. It's just the end of the beginning having price transparency. Necessary, not sufficient. Enforcement is key. Claims ownership SUPER key!
What a journey! When Mark Galvin and I met you and others in 2018/19 on healthcare price transparency, I had no idea what you had to go through. And for something that should be obvious to the most casual observer: Transparency and the ability to use that transparency to intelligently shop for any service, including healthcare, will result in lower prices and high quality.
So glad you stuck with this, Katy.
On a side note, I've been trying to get the attention of CMS, OPM, and others to show how the use of a good application can de-mystify how to use healthcare price transparency by a consumer to select the best, most cost effective health care solution for them.
Full disclosure, I do some work for TALON that has such a solution.
Hi Dan, yes, you and Mark in those early days were critical to actually showing to some of the naysayers what was possible with pricing information! I'm grateful for you for your work then and the continued expansion of it with Talon even now!
Katy, you are a national treasure.
I love this and can't wait to learn more about navigating around the system and getting better care. I am sure I am not the only one who faced sticker shock this sign-up insurance season. My Anthem BCBS insurance (Blue Value level--Avoid!) was $950+ in 2025. In 2026, the SAME plan is nearly $1300/month with a 50% co-pay AFTER you hit the $6K deductible. UGH. So I get the privilege of paying more for less. Adding insult to injury, EVERY doctor of mine in my area (including the entire Northside Hospital system!) in a huge suburb of Atlanta) has pulled out of the Blue (No)Value plan, forcing me to drive 100+ miles round-trip for any and every appointment through the Emory Healthcare system. #BeyondFrustrating
BTW: Here's a hack readers can try: I accidentally found out doctors will let me pay the "cash or Self-pay price" since I have insurance, but they no longer take it. Real life example: What would have been charged to the insurance for an office visit ($171) and an in-house X-ray ($80), and cost me $75 (specialist visit) + ~$80+ for x-ray, only cost me $92 ($67 office visit and $25 x-ray)! All because I asked for the self-pay option.
If I could do this for everything and NOT have to pay $1300/mo to feed a collapsing healthcare system, I would be ecstatic.
Keep sharing the #Truth, Katy. #Rockon
Catherine, you have raised the EXACT issue I'm going to be writing more about, my dear!! There's gold in the self-pay solution, but, as you point out, because normal people can't afford to self-pay for everything, it's not a scalable solution in the *individual* market. Stay tuned.
What an education, an eye opener your article is Katy! The comments by your readers as well. Thank you for fighting for us Katy! You remind me of William Wilberforce. God bless you.
Thank you so much Peter!!! Your ministry is the fuel of policy wins!