Medical students trained in discussing cost of care

The cost of medical care is increasingly becoming a concern for many Americans. This is especially true in light of higher deductibles and higher co-pays. Interestingly, this trend is strong enough that the provider community is taking notice. NPR reports that most of the surveyed medical schools that responded indicated that they offer a required course about the cost of medical care. The article cites the Affordable Care Act as the reason, as it moves the medical community towards high-value care, not simply rewarding doctors for volume.

As providers engage with patients more and more about cost, patients themselves will increasingly start thinking about higher value care. As time goes on, maybe we'll start to see a bend in the so-called cost curve.