ACP develops new Cost of Care resources for patients, updates tools for physicians
Resources for physicians include tools to help guide cost conversations with patients.
Increased out-of-pocket costs impact patients' ability to comply with recommended treatment plans. It is crucial for physicians to address cost issues with patients to ensure their best possible health outcomes. ACP has developed new Cost of Care resources for patients, including a fact sheet to help them understand and manage health care costs.
Other resources include a “Know Your Insurance” form to help patients document key costs and coverage information, as well as a one-page handout listing the top eight resources to help patients find help for health care costs. These are available to physicians to print and use in their offices.
In addition, several resources are available to help clinicians have cost conversations with patients, including a Cost Distress Identification tool, a Cost Conversation guide, and a Steps to Estimate the Cost of Care guide, among others. These resources were recently updated based on input from clinicians and patients.
The resources were developed with grant support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.