--- title: Access to health care prices doesn’t lower spending, study finds - The Boston Globe description: Even when presented with tools to compare the cost of health care services, consumers do not spend less money on those services. image: http://img.scoop.it/z8s3rAZ0USz0Q8aRJMT8dLnTzqrqzN7Y9aBZTaXoQ8Q= --- [![Nonstop](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/Nonstop_Logo-22-Horizontal%20(2).png?width=1501&name=Nonstop_Logo-22-Horizontal%20(2).png "Nonstop")](https://www.nonstophealth.com/) ** - [ Outcomes ](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/access-to-health-care-prices-doesnt-lower-spending-study-finds-the-boston-globe#) - [![icon-1](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-1.svg) Benefits Nonstop Health can improve benefits and lower costs for employees and employers. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/benefits) - [![icon-2](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-2.svg) Services & Technology Get the most out of your plan with easy administration and usage tracking. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/services) - [ Resources ](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/access-to-health-care-prices-doesnt-lower-spending-study-finds-the-boston-globe#) - [![icon-1](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-1.svg) Support Our support team is ready to help, whether you’re an employer, member, or broker. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/support) - [![icon-3](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-3.svg) Case Studies Seeing our solution in action. ](https://offers.nonstophealth.com/case-studies) - [![icon-4](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-4.svg) Blog Insights and updates to help navigate the health insurance landscape. ](https://blog.nonstophealth.com) - [![icon-5](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-5.svg) Podcasts A collection of conversations built to inspire. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/podcast) - [![icon-6](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-6.svg) Webinar & Guides Insights and resources to help your organization thrive. ](https://offers.nonstophealth.com/resources) - [ About Us ](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/access-to-health-care-prices-doesnt-lower-spending-study-finds-the-boston-globe#) - [![icon-7](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-7.svg) Our Team Learn about who we are and what drives us. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/about-us) - [![icon-8](https://blog.nonstophealth.com/hubfs/2022-nonstop/images/icon-8.svg) Careers Discover rewarding employment opportunities with Nonstop. ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/careers) - [ Account login ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/alert) - [ For employees ](https://members.prod.nonstophealth.com/) - [ For employers ](https://clients.nonstophealth.com/) - [ For brokers ](https://channel.nonstophealth.com/) - [ Contact Us ](https://www.nonstophealth.com/contact-us) # Access to health care prices doesn’t lower spending, study finds - The Boston Globe ![](http://img.scoop.it/z8s3rAZ0USz0Q8aRJMT8dLnTzqrqzN7Y9aBZTaXoQ8Q=) ![](http://img.scoop.it/z8s3rAZ0USz0Q8aRJMT8dLnTzqrqzN7Y9aBZTaXoQ8Q=) Felice J. Freyer of the Boston Globe writes about how publishing the cost of health care services does not actually lead to decreased consumer spending on those services. Read the full article at: [www.bostonglobe.com](https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/05/03/access-health-care-prices-doesn-lower-spending-study-finds/8LaitIqFhhXBe1nzPOOvkJ/story.html?_hsenc=p2ANqt) A study recently published out of the Harvard Medical School revealed that out of 149,000 employees given access to an online tool that revealed the out-of-pocket costs of health care services, only 10% actually used the tool. Even more surprising, those that used the online tool didn't, on average, spend less than a separate cohort who did not have access to health care service pricing information. “There’s been a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement about increasing price transparency,” said Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, a health care policy professor at Harvard Medical and senior author of the study. “We really need to temper that enthusiasm, because giving people tools like this isn’t enough.” The main barrier for consumers trying to find the most cost effective, high quality services is the difficultly of using insurers' websites and price information tools. Numerous experts have examined the Harvard Medical School study and argue against the pricing tool used, as it was difficult to use - which may have contributed to fewer consumers using it or understanding the pricing information they were given. **Employees shouldn't have to worry about getting the best "deal" on something crucial to their health - read more about how partial self-insurance saves money for both employers and employees:** [![Get Our Whitepaper!](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/569324/3bd42054-86d7-47f4-811e-468ee21221a1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/569324/3bd42054-86d7-47f4-811e-468ee21221a1) The information and materials herein are provided for general information purposes only and are not intended to constitute legal or other advice or opinions on any specific matters and are not intended to replace the advice of a qualified attorney, plan provider or other professional advisor. This information has been taken from sources believed to be reliable, but there is no guarantee as to its accuracy. 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