Hospitals charge less for cash payment, shift cost to employer plans: Study

Cash prices for certain hospital services were lower than the average insurance rate in nearly half of facilities examined in a new study, which could influence rate negotiations between payers and providers, Fierce Healthcare reports. The findings of the study, published April 3 in the journal Health Affairs, suggest that some self-insured employers pay prices higher than the cash price, which could influence future negotiations with insurers or direct talks with providers.