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ECRI Institute > Medical Device Pricing Transparency

Medical Device Pricing Transparency

ECRI Institute supports the public's pressing need to allow the healthcare community to engage in comparative shopping based on safety, performance, and cost. Visit this site often as we refresh content to include articles, policy statements, and other resources.

Legislative Initiatives
Sen. Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, and Sen. Arlen Specter, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, have introduced legislation to inject some much-needed transparency into the prices medical device suppliers charge hospitals participating in federal health care programs. The bill is meant to ensure that hospitals can provide care efficiently and economically and prevent the taxpayers from being overcharged for implantable medical devices paid for through Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). "Without any available information on fair prices for medical devices, hospitals are involved in one-sided negotiations with device manufacturers," Grassley said.

"Grassley, Specter Introduce Transparency in Medical Device Pricing Act," Press Release from Senator Chuck Grassley, October 23, 2007
"Arlen Specter Speaks on the Senate Floor Transparency in Medical Devices Act," Press Release from Senator Arlen Specter, October 23, 2007
"Lawmakers Push For Device Price Transparency Has Industry Nervous," Inside CMS, November 15, 2007

Health Policy

"Mandatory Disclosure Of Device Pricing Would Raise Costs—Industry Study," The Gray Sheet, February 28, 2008
"AdvaMed On Price Transparency," The Gray Sheet, December 18, 2006
"AdvaMed Board Adopts Position on Healthcare Transparency," Medical Device Daily, December 18, 2006
Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) Board Statement: “Transparency in Health Care Policy,” December 14, 2006
“CMS Signals Plans to Make Device Prices Publicly Available,” The Gray Sheet, August 7, 2006
"Gingrich Encourages Price Transparency," Materials Management in Healthcare, May 2006
“Health Care Advocates' Pricing Pushback,” TheStreet.com, March 23, 2006
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich's Testimony About Health Transparency to the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Health, March 15, 2006

The Importance of Comparative Data

"Transparency in Medical Equipment Pricing," 24X7, March 2008
“Eliminating the Equipment Pricing Mystery,” 24X7, March 2007
Interview with Todd A. Nelson, CFO, Grinnel Medical Center, "A Passion for Pricing Transparency," hfm magazine, February 2007
“Clearing the Air on Pricing Transparency,” Materials Management in Health Care, February 2007
"Controlling Implant Costs," published by the Healthcare Financial Management Association, www.hfma.org, July 2006
“Check the Fine Print: Are Your Medical Device Contracts Making It hard To Price Shop?” HFMA Wants You to Know, June 14, 2006

Legal Issues/Contracting

"Settlement Reached Over Device Pricing Transparency," Materials Management in Healthcare, January 2008
“Know Terms and Conditions for a Healthy Bottom Line,” Materials Management in Healthcare, November 2007
"Research firm, Guidant settle legal battle over device pricing," Philadelphia Inquirer, November 19, 2007
"Legal Controversies in the Realm of Hospital 'Price Transparency' and Their Implications," Hospitals & Health Systems Rx, June 2007
“Lawsuits Could Emerge As a Forum on Pricing Transparency,” Medical Device Link, June 2006

Conflicts of Interest

"Shed Light on 'Physician Preference'; Full Disclosure Needed in Light of Secret Deals between Docs, Devicemakers," Modern Healthcare, December 17, 2007
"Are Hospitals Next In Line? Government Investigators Probing Relationships Between Physicians, Devicemakers May Soon Train Sights On Hospitals," Modern Healthcare, August 14, 2006

Transparency in Medical Device Safety and Quality

Visit our Medical Device Safety Reports (MDSR) database, a repository of medical device incident and hazard information independently investigated by ECRI Institute.

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