Judith H. Hibbard|Jessica Greene|Shoshanna Sofaer|Kirsten Firminger|Judith Hirsh
An Experiment Shows That A Well-Designed Report On Costs And Quality Can Help Consumers Choose High-Value Health Care
University of Oregon|University of Oregon|Baruch College|City University of New York|The Graduate Center, CUNY
advocates health reform continue pursue policies tools make information comparative costs resource use available consumers reformers expect consumers use data choose highvalue providersthose offer higher quality lower pricesand thus contribute broader goal controlling national health care spending however communicating information effectively challenging might first appear example consumers interested quality health care cost many perceive lowcost provider substandard study 1421 employees examined different presentations information affect likelihood consumers make highvalue choices found substantial minority respondents shied away lowcost providers even consumers pay larger share health care costs likely equate high cost high quality time found presenting cost data alongside easytointerpret quality information highlighting highvalue options improved likelihood consumers would choose options reporting strategies follow format help consumers understand doctor provides higherquality care doctors necessarily cost