Virginians now have access to information on what health care procedures cost before they receive medical care. Virginia Health Information has published a report showing the average amounts that health insurers in Virginia pay for 31 procedures including preventive, emergency, outpatient and hospital inpatient care. Examples of procedures include everything from a visit to a doctor, CT scan, hip replacement, or even delivering a baby.

VHI designed this report for Virginians:

-- without health insurance

-- enrolled in high-deductible health plans and

-- who want a better idea of what their co-payments might be for medical tests or surgery.

"Virginia is one of a few states with health care pricing information," says Michael T. Lundberg, VHI's Executive Director. VHI worked together with representatives from the Virginia Association of Health Plans, the Medical Society of Virginia, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association and the Virginia Department of Health to produce the information.

"There are few things, if any, that rival the importance of our health care," said Dr. Bill Hazel, Virginia's Secretary of Health & Human Resources. He continued: "Patients deserve to be able to evaluate the cost and quality of their health care options, and have a reliable resource for these comparisons in VHI." Delegate John O'Bannon, himself a physician and sponsor of the legislation agreed, saying: "This is a great first step in empowering citizens to be educated consumers of health care."

Source: Virginia Health Information