Scott Atlas On Why Competition, Not Laws, Will Make Health Care Prices Visible
Published: August 6, 2019
More patient control over health care spending will lead to more price visibility and lower costs. But contrary to popular belief, legislation isn’t necessary to make prices more visible in the health care system. The most compelling reason for doctors and hospitals to post their prices would be because they are competing for patients’ money.
Additional Resources
- Watch the Joint Economic Committee meeting with Scott Atlas, “The Potential for Health Savings Accounts to Engage Patients and Bend the Health Care Cost Curve.” Available here.
- For much more detail on Scott Atlas’ health care plan, read his book Restoring Quality Health Care: A Six-Point Plan for Comprehensive Reform at Lower Cost, available here.
- Read Scott Atlas’ chapter “Transformational Health Care Reform” in Blueprint for America here.
[How do we get lower health care costs?]
The information has to be there.
The question really is, is the legislation necessary to do that
Because we really don’t do that in other goods and services.
You don’t have to say to the computer store, you better show your prices.
The fact is that the most compelling reason for doctors and hospitals to post their prices would be knowing that they’re competing for patients’ money.
When patients care what they’re spending, they’re going to save money.
We can also look at whole body MRI screening
And within a year or two, the prices came down to $300
Now not the only reason was that patients were paying but that’s a critical part.
So it’s factually proven that when the prices are visible, the prices come down significantly.