The survey, insurers and some economists say, shows the sort of irrational pricing of medical care that is an integral part of the nation's health care problems and that is largely being ignored, some say, in the current debate."
"'It's the wild, wild West when it comes to prices of anything in the U.S. health care system, whether for a doctor visit or for hospital charges,' said Jonathan Skinner, a health economist at Dartmouth."
AHIP's survey comes as "health insurers are trying to defend themselves against recent efforts by the Obama administration to portray certain industry practices as a major part of the nation's health care problems" (Kolata, 8/11).
Source: Kaiser Health News
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