The average American’s household’s health care spending in the next 20 years will exceed 41% of the household income an increase of nearly 20%. This prediction by the outgoing secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt assumes that the health care industry and current legislation do not change and the cost of health care continues to rise at the current pace.

What is the cause of this increase?  Several factors contribute to this prediction; the current economic climate is of course a leading factor, an increase in the elderly population relative to the working population (the baby boomers are aging and living longer), an increase of more and more complicated procedures that drive up the cost of health care services (hip and knee replacements as well as cardiovascular procedures account for the top three hospital procedures.) These factors are in one sense a given, we cannot reduce the number of elderly and cannot impede the progress of health care procedures that improve longevity and quality of life. The one factor that secretary Leavitt identifies as a way to reduce this health care burden is to provide health care recipients with the cost of procedures up front.

Currently there is little or no accountability and no process for comparing prices for common procedures. This Leavitt likens to an auto manufacturer accepting the cost of an automobile component and simply passing on the cost to the consumer. If health care providers were forced to compete in the marketplace the costs of all health care would be reduced directly for consumers as well as indirectly in a reduction of government health care spending and a potential reduction in taxes.

What can we do? As consumers of health care we can demand open and transparent pricing, value comparisons across providers and access to information to make informed decisions.Our mission at HealDeal is to:

• Provide an understanding of the consumer driven health care marketplace. 
• Empower the consumer with health related cost and quality information to improve the ability to make smart choices.
• Champion transparency in the health care marketplace that promotes value and cost comparisons.

This is a step in the direction of a transparent and open health care marketplace.

Indeed the blog is back after my hibernation period. During this period I was working with my committed and experienced team, on our innovation, HealDeal Inc.

HealDeal is a novel idea driven by the urgent need of these times of rising uninsurance and worsening economy. As it is well written by the esteemed Harvard Business School Professor, Mr. Clayton M. Christensen ‘How hard times can drive innovation’.

We want to help those who are paying for healthcare out of their own pocket (self-pay patients). We believe they must have the right information to make smart choices. This information comes to them directly from their chosen physicians or healthcare provider. Hence providing transparent cost and relevant quality information.

I invite you to engage in this process of innovation by visiting www.healdeal.com, and giving us your feedback.

Archana Dubey, MD