Company's online Compare Hospital tool now shows estimated out-of-pocket
expenses associated with inpatient procedures
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) announced
today that in addition to quality measures already available through its
online Compare Hospital tool, the company is adding out-of-pocket cost data as
a consumer-focused enhancement.
Humana is now including an estimate of members' out-of-pocket costs for
the diagnosis and treatment of covered procedures. The information is
available through the member's secured personal home page, MyHumana.com. The
Compare Hospital tool will compare costs for up to five different hospitals
for the same procedure. The tool is powered by HealthShare Technology and
updated annually.
Humana members already can access information about hospital performance
for a variety of conditions, diagnoses and treatments ranging from maternity
services to chest pain.
"Pricing information for health care services has historically not been
readily accessible to consumers," said Beth Bierbower, vice president of
product innovation for Humana. "We want health care expenses to be more
transparent to consumers and are giving them cost information so they can make
informed decisions for themselves as they do in other aspects of their
purchasing lives."
The newly added cost comparison is an enhancement of the capabilities
Humana members have had through the Compare Hospital tool to select a
diagnosis, treatment and procedure in order to compare hospitals based on the
number of procedures performed, complication rates, lengths-of-stay and
mortality rates.
"The ability of Humana members to use the Compare Hospital tool to access
out-of-pocket expenses gives them a planning mechanism to determine what they
can expect to pay based on the benefit coverage they have," Bierbower added.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation's
largest publicly traded health benefits companies, with approximately
7 million medical members located primarily in 15 states and Puerto Rico.
Humana offers coordinated health insurance coverage and related services --
through traditional and Internet-based plans -- to employer groups,
government-sponsored plans, and individuals.
Over its 44-history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet
changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer
engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health
plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available via the Internet
at http://www.humana.com including:
-- Annual report to stockholders;
-- Securities and Exchange Commission filings;
-- Most recent investor conference presentation;
-- Quarterly earnings press releases;
-- Audio archive of most recent earnings release conference call;
-- Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates,
times, and access number, as well as planned participation in investor
conferences);
-- Corporate Governance Information.
SOURCE Humana Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.humana.com
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CONTACT:
Mary Sellers of Humana Corporate
Communications, +1-502-580-3689, or msellers1@humana.com
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