Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40134502›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches2025

Sometimes Less Is More: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Commercially-Negotiated Price Variation for Thyroidectomy.

Catherine B Jensen, Mitchell Mead, Hunter J Underwood, Andrew Ibrahim, Susan C Pitt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Annals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Communication of Cost in Thyroidectomy: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Financial Toxicity.Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Catherine B JensenFrom the Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Mitchell MeadDepartment of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Hunter J UnderwoodDepartment of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Andrew IbrahimDepartment of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Susan C PittDepartment of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: The Hospital Price Transparency Rule requires hospitals to publicly report prices for healthcare services to enhance transparency. Among the most common thyroidectomy procedures are thyroid lobectomy (TL) and total thyroidectomy alone (TT) or with central neck dissection (TT+CND). This study aimed to examine factors associated with variations in commercially-negotiated prices for thyroidectomy. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis examined commercial price data obtained from Turquoise Health and linked to the American Hospital Association Annual Survey. Thyroidectomy procedures were categorized using Current Procedural Terminology codes (60220 TL, 60240 TT, and 60252 TT+CND, listed in increasing extent of surgery). The main outcome included intrahospital variation in commercially-negotiated prices and hospital-level factors associated with price differences. Results: Overall, 1299 hospitals (30.4%) reported commercial prices for TL and TT. In increasing order of surgical complexity, the median price (interquartile range) was $6483 ($2217-$11,443) for TL, $6732 ($2566-$11,321) for TT, and $6232 ($3118-$10,916) for TT+CND. Only 28% (n = 303) reported median negotiated prices concordant with increasing extent of thyroidectomy. Risk-adjusted mean negotiated prices found that not-for-profit hospitals had significantly lower adjusted mean prices compared with for-profit ($8266 vs $10,625, Conclusions: The complexity of thyroidectomy is not reflected in the price-negotiated rates paid by insurers to hospitals. Most hospitals are paid less when taking on more complex procedures. These findings underscore concerns about fair reimbursement to hospitals and the potential of the Price Transparency Rule to illuminate unwarranted differences in negotiated rates.

Indexed as

paradoxical pricingprice transparencyreimbursementthyroidectomyvariation

Identifiers

PMID40134502
PMCPMC11932599

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.