· Faster experience. We’ve made simplifications to our system that resulted in a reduction of hardware on the website by 40 percent. While visitors to the website will not see evidence of these improvements on their computer screen, users should find the website to be faster and more responsive than previous years. · Updated account management system. We completely replaced the technical underpinnings of how consumers create accounts and log-in online. the user will ultimately notice nothing different on screen, the simpler architecture we put in place is now faster, more stable, and allows for an increasing number of users to visit the website at the same time. · Improved ability to identify problems. The simplifications we made make it easier for us to address bumps along the road - we’ll be able to find and fix system errors faster. Insurers Find Out-Of-Network Bills as Much as 1,400 Percent Higher Kaiser Health News It’s common knowledge that consumers have to pay more money if they choose doctors or hospitals outside of their insurance plan’s network. But prepared by the insurance industry seeks to show just how much more in each of the 50 states. Out-of-network providers charged patients on average 300 percent more than the Medicare rate for certain treatments or procedures, according to the analysis of 2013 and 2014 claims data released Thursday by the America’s Health Insurance Plans. The industry group, which supports limiting out-of-network charges, found that some treatments were even more exorbitant with out-of-network providers charging nearly 1,400 percent more than what is — reimbursed by Medicare. Charges for an MRI of the for example, cost on average $2,929 with an out-of-network provider, compared to the Medicare rate of $405, according to the report. And patients who needed a one-hour chemotherapy infusion paid on average $437 while Medicare reimbursed $136, the group found. The study found significant differences among providers for the same treatments and wide geographic differences. California had some of the largest gaps between out-of-network charges and Medicare rates. For example, out-of-network providers billed an average of 626 percent higher than Medicare for a brain MRI. Other states also saw out-of-network charges that far exceeded the Medicare rates, the study found. In New York, providers charged on average 1,100 percent more than the Medicare fee
· Faster experience. We’ve made simplifications to our system that resulted in a reduction of hardware on the website by 40 percent. While visitors to the website will not see evidence of these improvements on their computer screen, users should find the website to be faster and more responsive than previous years. · Updated account management system. We completely replaced the technical underpinnings of how consumers create accounts and log-in online. the user will ultimately notice nothing different on screen, the simpler architecture we put in place is now faster, more stable, and allows for an increasing number of users to visit the website at the same time. · Improved ability to identify problems. The simplifications we made make it easier for us to address bumps along the road - we’ll be able to find and fix system errors faster. Insurers Find Out-Of-Network Bills as Much as 1,400 Percent Higher Kaiser Health News It’s common knowledge that consumers have to pay more money if they choose doctors or hospitals outside of their insurance plan’s network. But prepared by the insurance industry seeks to show just how much more in each of the 50 states. Out-of-network providers charged patients on average 300 percent more than the Medicare rate for certain treatments or procedures, according to the analysis of 2013 and 2014 claims data released Thursday by the America’s Health Insurance Plans. The industry group, which supports limiting out-of-network charges, found that some treatments were even more exorbitant — with out-of-network providers charging nearly 1,400 percent more than what is reimbursed by Medicare. Charges for an MRI of the for example, cost on average $2,929 with an out-of-network provider, compared to the Medicare rate of $405, according to the report. And patients who needed a one-hour chemotherapy infusion paid on average $437 while Medicare reimbursed $136, the group found. The study found significant differences among providers for the same treatments and wide geographic differences. California had some of the largest gaps between out-of-network charges and Medicare rates. For example, out-of-network providers billed an average of 626 percent higher than Medicare for a brain MRI. Other states also saw out-of-network charges that far exceeded the Medicare rates, the study found. In New York, providers charged on average 1,100 percent more than the Medicare fee