Full Disclosure — Out-of-Pocket Costs as Side Effects

Because treatments can impose out-of-pocket costs that may impair patients' well-being, physicians should disclose the financial consequences of treatment alternatives just as they inform patients about treatments' side effects. Few physicians would prescribe treatments to their patients without first discussing important side effects. When a chemotherapy regimen prolongs survival, for example, but also causes serious side effects such as immunosuppression or hair loss, physicians are typically thorough about informing patients about those effects, allowing them to decide whether the benefits outweigh the risks. Nevertheless, many patients in the United States experience substantial harm from medical interventions whose risks have not been fully discussed. The undisclosed toxicity? High cost, which can cause considerable financial strain. Since health care providers don't often discuss potential costs before ordering diagnostic tests or making . . .