An APCD, created by the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act, is a system that collects health care claims and related data from all (or nearly all) entities that pay for health care services in a geographic area, including private and public health plans. An APCD will increase transparency in healthcare costs and enable policymakers to address costs that are too high, unwarranted variation in costs, and quality of care concerns. We support the establishment of an APCD that specifically:

• Provides total care costs, prices, use, quality, and results of care for different providers, treatments and patients;
• Provides comprehensive data on spending that can help to identify and eliminate waste in the healthcare system;
• Identifies high value providers so that consumers can be steered to them;
• Is a user-friendly website or portal that allows consumers to compare price information for specific procedures across providers;
• Enables policymakers to evaluate the effects of state reforms; and
• Provides general health status and disease burden information, both in terms of health equity and improving the general health of Georgians.

We support the rollout of an APCD to improve healthcare quality and reduce healthcare costs for Georgians.