STATEHOUSE – State Reps. Stephen Bartels (R-Eckerty) and Chris May (R-Bedford) encourage Hoosiers to use a new state website to compare healthcare prices and quality.
In 2020, state lawmakers passed a law establishing the newly launched Indiana All Payer Claims Database, overseen by the Indiana Department of Insurance, to help increase transparency in healthcare costs. The website collects insurance claims data from public and private healthcare payers to track the state’s cost, utilization, and quality of healthcare.
“Shopping for health care services and providers isn’t always easy and can get overwhelming,” Bartels said. “The new dashboard allows patients to get an idea of the potential costs of services ranging from a routine exam to various surgeries.”
Bartels said the APCD lets Hoosiers search what other patients have paid for common procedures across regions, providers, and insurance plans. Additionally, the database includes a list of healthcare providers that perform services within certain distances from a zip code, the average out-of-pocket costs for a service, and the quality rating for that facility. For example, Hoosiers needing a knee replacement can select their insurance, procedure, and zip code on the database to view a list of nearby healthcare providers that perform the service, the quality rating for that facility, and the average out-of-pocket cost.
“The new All Payer Claims Database provides valuable information on health care costs,” May said. “Hoosiers now have the opportunity to educate themselves on services and providers that fit their budgets.”
According to May, the database’s goals are to inform Hoosiers seeking medical care, identify state health care needs, support health care policy, and improve the quality and affordability of health care in the state.
Information collected by the APCD complies with the security standards outlined in the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, and the U.S. Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. Onpoint Health Data, the Indiana APCD administrator, is also certified by HITRUST, an industry-leading health data security standard that uses federal and state security requirements.
Hoosiers can visit apcd.idoi.in.gov to compare health care prices and quality and find out more information. They can also email apcd@idoi.in.gov with questions and suggestions for current or future reports and dashboards.
