By Fraser Cobbe

Orange County Medical Society

Seminole County Medical Society

The push for greater transparency and data analytics to assist patients in becoming educated consumers of health care continues unabashed. For the past several months our organization has provided patients a link to the FAIR Health Consumer Website. We are extremely pleased to recognize the accolades that continue to be bestowed upon that organization and resource.

While there are numerous sources for health care pricing comparisons available on the internet, we selected FAIR Health to share from our website given their history and commitment to remaining free of conflict and bias in the reporting of data.

Their commitment to independence is clearly stated on their website.

FAIR Health is a national, independent, nonprofit corporation. Our mission is to bring transparency and clarity to healthcare costs and health insurance information through consumer tools and resources, data products and research support.

FAIR Health continues to be recognized as the pre-eminent site for consumers to search for accurate cost estimates. In 2016, the site earned a place on Kiplinger's Personal Finance Best List as the Best Health Care Cost Estimator.

Given the fluctuations in the cost of similar medical services even within the same community, it is highly recommended that patients consider using such tools. Certainly those tools are only as good as the data presented and there may be some errors or discrepancies in any cost estimator. What is clear though is that finding solutions to increasing health care costs and appropriate utilization of services requires the attention and participation of all stakeholders.

Click here to view their website