Launching today
CostKits
Free tools that make healthcare pricing transparent
6 followers
Free tools that make healthcare pricing transparent
6 followers
CostKits offers 6 free, interactive healthcare cost tools: a budget explorer, procedure estimator, cost forecaster, bill analyzer, and two cost maps (by state, by provider). Unlike tools built on scraped averages, every estimate uses real claims-based pricing data — built by a healthcare actuary (FSA, MAAA) with 20+ years pricing insurance claims. Try each tool live, embed it on your site with one script tag, or query the REST API. No sign-up required.
How often does the underlying claims data get refreshed, and does the bill analyzer need the itemized CPT codes or can it work from a summary total alone?
@salihaamhx Great question. The reference data behind the analyzer is refreshed quarterly, and API responses include a data_vintage so users can see which refresh they’re using.
On the bill side: A summary total alone can tell us very little reliably. We can sometimes flag non-code issues if the EOB text includes things like out-of-network emergency care, balance billing, denial language, or deductible applied to a preventive/screening service. But the main bill-analyzer checks need itemized line items, ideally CPT/HCPCS codes plus billed/allowed/member-responsibility amounts. Without those, the safest output is usually: request the itemized bill.
How current is the claims data underneath the estimates, and how often does it get refreshed as new procedures and providers come online?
@berencamba28643 Great question. One nuance: we’re not using a live insurer claims feed underneath this today. CostKits is more “claims-aware” than “claims-data powered”: it uses CPT/HCPCS logic, Medicare allowed amount benchmarks, CMS fee schedules, coding/bundling rules, and provider/facility reference data.
Our plan is to refresh that reference layer quarterly, with off-cycle updates when a meaningful rule, fee schedule, or provider/procedure mapping changes. New procedures/providers get added through the catalog and benchmark layer as we expand coverage.
We’ll also fold in crowdsourced claim/EOB data once we have enough volume for it to be statistically useful, with appropriate privacy protections and aggregation. Until then, we’d rather be transparent about the benchmark/rules-based approach than imply we have a live claims warehouse behind it.