Differences in Negotiated Facility Fees for Otolaryngology Procedures at Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Hospitals.

While outpatient otolaryngology procedures have been increasingly performed at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the cost differences compared to hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) remain unclear. Utilizing newly available data collected from Turquoise Health's Rate Sense as required under the Transparency in Coverage rule, we assess, in this cross-sectional analysis, the differences in negotiated facility fees between ASCs and HOPDs for 20 common otolaryngologic procedures. Analyzing data from 4613 ASCs and 2382 hospitals, we found significantly higher facility fees at HOPDs, with a median relative price difference of +146% ( < .

Privately negotiated facility fees at ambulatory surgery centers and hospitals.

Private negotiated facility fees at hospitals are on average double the ambulatory surgery center facility fees for common outpatient procedures.

Updated Review of Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia.

Alopecia, a widespread issue affecting both genders, often manifests as androgenetic alopecia, although a thorough examination is needed to rule out other causes. This chapter focuses on the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride and minoxidil, the Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments, offer stability and in some cases improvement in scalp coverage.

Favorable Outcome Perception in Facial Selective Neurectomy.

Objective: Facial selective neurectomy (SN) improves facial function by denervation of muscles antagonistic to the smile in nonflaccid facial paralysis (NFFP) patients. This study aims to assess whether and which objective facial function metrics affect favorable SN outcome in NFFP patients, as perceived by facial nerve (FN) practitioners.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Facial Filler in Facial Paralysis: A Prospective Case Study and Multidimensional Assessment.

Facial filler is emerging as a nonsurgical alternative for addressing static asymmetry in facial paralysis (FP). To elucidate the patient experience for facial filler and to facilitate preprocedure counseling and education. Patients receiving hyaluronic acid filler for FP at a tertiary academic medical center were prospectively recruited.

Variations in Payer-Negotiated Prices for Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery.

Objective: Little is known about pricing for reconstructive procedures of the head and neck. As of January 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requires hospitals to disclose payer-negotiated prices for services, offering new insight into prices for privately insured patients.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analysis.

Hospital-Negotiated Pricing of Cochlear Implants.

Access to cochlear implantation can be restricted by financial burden, and little is known about the extent to which cochlear implant (CI) devices prices may vary between hospitals or manufacturers. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of private payer-negotiated prices for CI devices. In total, 161 hospitals were analyzed.

Health Utility Measures Among Patients with Androgenetic Alopecia After Hair Transplant.

Background: Hair loss causes significant psychosocial distress to patients. Health utility measurements offer an objective, quantitative assessment of health-related quality of life (QOL).

Methods: We performed a prospective cohort study on patients with hair loss between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020.

Hospital Prices for Pediatric Tympanostomy Tube Placement and Adenotonsillectomy in 2021.

Objectives: Hospital prices vary substantially for myringotomy with tympanostomy tube placement (M&T) and adenotonsillectomy (T&A). The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently implemented hospital price transparency requirements to help families make financially informed decisions about where to seek care. We sought to determine price availability and the extent of price variation for these procedures.

Variation in the Price of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Procedures.

Health care costs can present a significant strain on patients with head and neck cancer. It remains unclear how much prices may vary among hospitals providing care and what factors lead to differences in prices of surgical procedures. A cross-sectional analysis of private payer-negotiated prices was performed for 10 commonly performed head and neck surgical oncology procedures.

Hospital-Administered Cancer Therapy Prices for Patients With Private Health Insurance.

Importance: The federal Hospital Price Transparency final rule, which became effective in 2021, requires hospitals to publicly disclose payer-specific prices for drugs. However, little is known about hospital markup prices for parenterally administered therapies.

Objective: To assess the extent of price markup by hospitals on parenterally administered cancer therapies and price variation among hospitals and between payers at each hospital.

Spending and Utilization on Drugs Prescribed by Otolaryngologists to Medicare Beneficiaries, 2013 to 2017.

Objectives: The significant and rising cost of prescription drugs is a pressing concern for patients and payers. However, little is known about spending on and utilization of drugs prescribed by otolaryngologists.

Methods: Utilizing publicly available Medicare Part D Prescriber Public Use data, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 34 small-molecule drugs commonly prescribed by otolaryngologists (defined as 2017 Medicare Part D spending ≥$500 000) to Medicare beneficiaries.

Private Payer-Negotiated Prices for Outpatient Otolaryngologic Surgery.

In January 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began requiring hospitals to publish price transparency files listing all prices negotiated with payers. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of payer-negotiated prices for commonly performed outpatient otolaryngology surgery at all hospitals scored by the in otolaryngology. We compared prices among hospitals (across-center ratios) and among payers at the same hospital (within-center ratios).

Otolaryngologist Performance in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System in 2018.

In 2017, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services transitioned clinicians to the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), the largest mandatory pay-for-performance program in health care history. The first full MIPS program year was 2018, during which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services raised participation requirements and performance thresholds. Using publicly available Medicare data, we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of otolaryngologist participation and performance in the MIPS in 2017 and 2018.