Employers are searching for ways to get their employees more educated about the pricing of real procedures so they can make informed decisions and be active participants in reducing their health care costs.  Cost calculator tools are real-time, pre-care itemized estimators of specific treatment costs, designed to be used by employees or plan members to:

•       Find a provider;

•       Understand the amount s/he will be expected to pay;

•       Make an informed decision to choose a lower-cost, potentially higher-quality provider for the care they need.

Health plans are offering their own tools through their member portals, but there are some interesting tools being offered by third-party vendors, from start-ups to established health data analytics companies.

Recently, PBGH held a series of webinars to both educate its members and help them evaluate some of the leading tools on the market.

Here are some questions employers can ask themselves when considering such tools:

·         What is the data source for the price estimates? For example, there are advantages and disadvantages to claims versus contracted rates?

·         Is the information that is presented to the employee specific to their plan and benefits design? 

·         Which providers, treatments, conditions, and facilities are included in the tool?

·         How can I effectively plan and build enhancements and reporting with either the health plan or the third party vendors providing the tool?

·         How does the tool support customized benefits design approaches, such as reference pricing or global health budgets with incentives for employees to save on health care costs?

PBGH will be offering an evaluation of these tools and a set of best practices to support members in answering the questions above.  To learn more, please contact Amanda Goltz, Senior Manager, at 415-615-6356 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .