AG: New Information Can Help Consumers with Health Care Costs

In Rochester on Tuesday, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced a reform to the consumer reimbursement system for health care. The state is creating a non-profit is called FAIR Health, an research group headquartered at Syracuse University. The University of Rochester, Cornell University and the University at Buffalo are also part of the group.

Cuomo says FAIR Health will provide an independent system to help consumers find out how much they'll have to pay for health care procedures."

Before the patient goes to the doctor, the patient could say I'm getting reimbursed $140 dollars, is that the right amount?'," Cuomo says. "The doctor will know what they'll be reimbursed. That will be done on a web site operated by this company. Before you leave your house, you punch in your procedure code and you'll know exactly what your reimbursement rate is going to be."

Cuomo says the independent company will set reimbursement rates for out-of-network procedures.

Cuomo say a nearly $1 million settlement with health insurers across the country will fund the new system.