HHS names winners of challenge to build a better medical bill
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, choosing from more than 80 submissions, has awarded two prizes for new designs of the medical bill.
The contest, "A Bill You Can Understand" aims to fix doctor and hospital bills that tend to be complex, confusing and are often anything but enlightening. The first winner was recognized for designing the bill that's easiest to understand, according to HHS. The second design best improves the overall approach to billing, tracing the patient's journey through the process.
"One of our priorities is to put patients at the center of their own health care," said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. "Helping Americans understand their medical bills empowers them to take more control of their health, and that’s a step in the right direction for our entire health care system."
Healthcare organizations, technology companies design agencies and others all sent submissions to HHS. The two winning designs will be evaluated for testing or implementation in six health care organizations that are working to improve the patient billing experience: Cambia Health Solutions in Portland, Oregon; Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania; INTEGRIS Health in Oklahoma City; The MetroHealth System in Cleveland; Providence Health & Services in Seattle, and University of Utah Health Care in Salt Lake City.
Los Angeles-based RadNet won for the easiest bill to understand, with a bill HHS says is "as concise as possible." RadNet provides adaptable bills that line up with the patient’s current experience, including options for uninsured patients and for patients who are past due on payments. It makes uses of specific colors to make it easier for patients to locate specific information, clearly laying out payment due, payment options, insurance details and more.
The other prize was was awarded to San Francisco-based Sequence, whose Clarify is an online and app-based service that takes a consumer-based model to showing health care services, enabling patients to search, browse, weigh their options, compare prices and decide payment methods.
See the winning designs and honorable mentions here.
Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
