California to experiment with bundled procedure fees for Joint Replacements

New Hip and Knee Replacement Pay Program (written by Biloine Young @ OTW)
Vastly different charges for the same procedure—often performed by the same surgeon in the same city—are prompting doctors and hospitals to experiment with new ways to charge for their services. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, several California hospitals will begin using bundled fees, which include both facility and physician fees, when billing for hip and knee replacements.
Proponents say charging a predetermined fee for standard surgical procedures would eliminate surprises for patients and would help...