The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on April 9 released data on services and procedures provided to Medicare beneficiaries, as well as payment amounts for those services by provider.
The data cover more than 880,000 distinct healthcare providers who collectively received $77 billion in Medicare payments in 2012 under the Medicare Part B fee-for-service program, according to HHS.
The information makes it possible to compare 6,000 different types of services and procedures provided by healthcare providers to Medicare members, as well as payments these providers received. It can also be used to compare physicians, specialties, locations, and submitted charges, HHS said.
The move is part of the Obama administration's push toward transparency in healthcare by giving consumers more information about healthcare providers, according to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
