January is the month when people often take note of how much they spent during the holidays. Many look at their bank accounts wondering how they spent so much money and where it all went. Maybe you had a few individual big ticket items that were expensive, or maybe you Read more…
“Data Liberacion!” “Free the Data!” “Transparency or Bust!” If all of the organizations working on controlling health care costs were to hold a rally to push for a better system, it’s likely many would be carrying (or wearing) signs saying all of the above. But what do we mean when Read more…
Think about the last time you purchased a cell phone. You probably had a lot of choices including multiple versions of the iPhone and Android phones, all with unique bells and whistles which impacted the price you would have to pay. Regardless of what you chose, you likely knew that Read more…
Across the U.S. and in Colorado, health care costs continue to rise. But what kind of costs are economists, policy makers and others referring to when they talk about making health care more affordable? It honestly depends on who is talking, what data they are using, and what parts of Read more…
Out of necessity and contract arrangement with our previous data warehouse vendor, CIVHC has maintained three websites over the past five years: CIVHC.org – general information on our organization and some data/reports Comedprice.org –interactive data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD) Comedpriceshowcase.org – Highlights of the Read more…
Remember that scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when they visit The Art Institute of Chicago and the troubled Cameron gets lost in the impressionist painting by George Seurat? If you’ve never seen the movie (heaven forbid) or if you’d just like an excuse to reflect back to the 80s, Read more…
As discussed in our first Plaintalk Blog, administrating the CO APCD takes a great deal of processing, quality control, and analytic capability. Getting claims information in the door in the correct format and processing them to a point where the information is useful for reporting is a heavy lift and costs Read more…
Deciding where to get health care is a pretty big deal. But, unlike most other big-deal purchases, today’s industry doesn’t allow us to comparison shop. When you’re getting ready to buy a new car, the price point is only one of the things you take into consideration. You likely research Read more…
What are bundled payments, and how do they help providers reduce waste and deliver better care? In the past decade, the health care system has started shifting away from volume-based payments (payments per visit regardless of the outcome), to a value-based payment (payments tied to quality and/or outcomes) approach. This Read more…
So, we’ve explained what an All Payer Claims Database is and all the exciting things that it can do; but, why on earth would Colorado want such a thing? How did the CO APCD come to be and what, exactly, is Colorado supposed to do with it? Colorado has always Read more…