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A Blind Spot

John W. Melski, MD

JAMA. 1992;267(11):1516-1518.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

WE ARE responsible for knowing the risks and benefits of the care we recommend. But we often do not know the price, especially for new technology. Researchers usually report new technology in our journals without mention of the expected charges. Patients are seldom concerned with the price of technology when the charges are covered by third-party payers.

There are problems with price. It varies with marketplace, regulations, and negotiations. It may not reflect the true value of a service. It does not reflect the nonmedical expenses of seeking care, indirect costs of morbidity, or the intangible costs of suffering.¹ Despite these problems, we need to consider the charges that are used to measure health care expenses and transfers of wealth in our society. Others certainly do it for us.² Debate over payment for health services begins when we know the charges.

The Case of Photopheresis for Systemic Sclerosis . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Dermatology, Marshfield (Wis) Clinic.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Department of Dermatology 4K5, Marshfield Clinic, 1000 N Oak, Marshfield, WI 54449 (Dr Melski).

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