The Healthcare Financial Management Association published a consumer guide hospitals and health systems can distribute to patients to help them avoid surprise medical bills.
Here's what you should know:
1. HFMA, the American Hospital Association and America's Health Insurance Plans developed the guide in collaboration, with input from the American Medical Association.
2. The guide is designed to help consumers learn about healthcare costs, compare prices among providers and manage their out-of-pocket costs.
3. HFMA encourages healthcare organizations to incorporate the guide into their preprocedure communications with patients and publicize it on their websites.
4. Organizations planning to post the guide should notify HFMA's Karen Thomas.