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Indiana Rolls Out New Healthcare Pricing Database With Chatbot and Drug Cost Comparisons

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. (WOWO) — Indiana is expanding its statewide healthcare transparency system, rolling multiple pricing tools, prescription resources, and hospital cost data into a single upgraded platform aimed at helping residents compare medical prices and reduce out-of-pocket spending.

Gov. Mike Braun announced the changes Wednesday, saying the state’s updated system—now renamed Indiana Health Prices—is designed to give Hoosiers clearer, more direct access to what healthcare services actually cost across providers.


NEW PLATFORM CONSOLIDATES HEALTHCARE COST DATA

The expanded Indiana Health Prices platform builds on what was previously known as the Indiana All Payer Claims Database, combining:

  • Hospital cash pricing data
  • Insurance claims information from nearly two billion records
  • Voluntary provider-submitted pricing data
  • Prescription drug cost comparison tools

State officials say the goal is to centralize fragmented healthcare pricing information into a single public-facing system.


BRAUN: TRANSPARENCY DRIVES LOWER COSTS

Gov. Braun framed the rollout as part of a broader push to increase competition in healthcare pricing.

“Transparency and affordability drive competition and lower healthcare costs,” Braun said in a statement announcing the expansion. “Indiana Health Prices integrates hospital cash prices, provider-contributed data, and expanded prescription resources in one platform so Hoosiers can compare and save with confidence.”

The governor also highlighted integration with outside tools such as the PatientRightsAdvocate.org Hospital Drug Price Finder, which allows users to compare hospital drug costs across facilities.


NEW FEATURES: CHATBOT AND PRICE COMPARISON TOOLS

A major addition is a new Indiana Health Prices chatbot, which state officials say is designed to simplify navigation of complex healthcare cost data.

The chatbot provides:

  • Interactive, guided answers to pricing questions
  • One-stop access to state healthcare cost databases
  • 24/7 availability for consumers, researchers, and providers
  • Streamlined searches across multiple state systems

Officials say the tool is intended to make it easier for users to estimate costs before receiving care.


HOSPITAL CASH PRICES AND PROVIDER DATA EXPANDED

The updated platform now directly incorporates hospital cash price listings, giving users the ability to compare out-of-pocket costs for services performed in hospital settings.

Indiana is also inviting healthcare providers and laboratories to voluntarily submit pricing data, including physician office rates and service-level costs. The state says this expansion is meant to fill gaps in pricing transparency across different care settings.


NEW PRESCRIPTION DRUG RESOURCES

A dedicated prescription section now links users to external cost-comparison tools, including:

  • Trump RX
  • Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company
  • PatientRightsAdvocate.org drug pricing tools

State officials say the addition is intended to help consumers identify lower-cost medication alternatives.


STATE HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Indiana officials pointed to recent national recognition for its data transparency efforts, including the National Innovation in Data Dissemination Award from the National Association of Health Data Organizations.

That award recognizes states that make healthcare data more accessible and usable to the public.


BOTTOM LINE

The Braun administration says the expanded system is designed to give residents more control over healthcare spending decisions by improving visibility into pricing across hospitals, providers, and pharmacies.

The platform remains available online and is being updated with additional datasets as providers and agencies submit new information.

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