Most states do little to encourage health cost transparency

Consumers with health insurance shouldered more of the expense for their medical care in 2014, but Florida and nearly every other state did little to require prices for hospitals and doctors be made public -- hindering comparison shopping and allowing dominant hospital systems and insurers to drive up costs overall, according to a report released Wednesday. Florida was among 45 states receiving a failing grade for neglecting to adopt laws that give patients the data they need to plan for their health care expenses, according to the report produced by two nonprofit groups, Catalyst for Payment Reform in California and the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute in Connecticut.