Purdue part of group piloting new online health care consumerism tool
Beginning July 6, Purdue faculty and staff will have a robust, new tool to help them be good health care consumers. Purdue is one of four employers piloting this latest resource from CIGNA called the Treatment Cost Calculator.
"You can get real-time estimates on more than 200 medical procedures," says Mike Hanson, medical benefits administrator in Staff Benefits. Prices are based on the employee's choice of doctor and medical facility.
The Treatment Cost Calculator will show employees what they would pay out of their own pockets based on their plan's deductible and coinsurance. It's the most employee-specific estimator tool Purdue has been able to provide to date.
"For everything from arthroscopic knee surgery to colonoscopies, employees can use the Treatment Cost Calculator to see how much a procedure would cost them through various providers in their hometown," says Hanson. "And they can compare hometown costs to those of other cities, like Indianapolis."
While the pilot will include data on Indiana providers, the final tool will supply nationwide information.
Good health care consumers should consider more than just money when making health care decisions. Employees can use the Treatment Cost Calculator to find doctors and facilities that have earned top ratings based on actual patient outcomes, quality and value.
To try the new resource, beginning July 6, log on to www.myCIGNA.com, and then click the green Treatment Cost Calculator image.
