The HHS recently released a challenge for an improved medical bill. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
+ Regulatory
Amanda Rupp | May 25, 2016

HHS launches challenge for improved medical bill

Leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently launched a new challenge that urges innovations for creating a new medical bill that is simplified, clear and easy for patients to understand.

The goal of “A Bill You Can Understand” is to improve the experience of patients throughout the medical billing process. While presenting at the yearly Health Datapalooza conference, HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell encouraged designers, digital tech companies, health care organizations, developers and more to modify the bill.

Participants in the challenge will submit new methods to generate national attention toward a unitive complaint throughout health care: medical billing is confusing for patients and their families.

The confusion begins with the process of billing. Some patients receive multiple bills from different doctors, hospitals, specialists and labs for the same procedure. These bills can vary in health jargon, presentation and content, which makes it hard for patients to fully understand which bill is correct or accurate.

“This challenge is part of HHS’ larger effort to put patients at the center of their own health care,” Burwell said. “With today’s announcement, we are creating progress toward a medical bill that people can actually understand and a billing process that makes sense -- progress that includes creating a forum that brings everyone to the table: patients, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and innovators.”

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