Our History

About Us

Our History

Since 1976, Consumers' Checkbook has fought for healthcare data transparency, and has delivered innovative solutions to make choosing health plans and healthcare providers easier for consumers.

Our history

Years of Journey

History

1976
1976
First edition of Consumers’ Checkbook

The first edition of Consumers’ Checkbook focuses on healthcare ratings. Using innovative techniques such as surveying clergy for feedback on nursing homes, speaking with EMTS to learn more on emergency rooms, and surveying patients about their doctors, healthcare quality measures are available to consumers for the first time.

1979
The first Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees

Checkbook publishes the first print edition of the Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees, a resource that provides total cost comparisons (premium plus expected out-of-pocket expenses) for every FEHB plan in the U.S.

1999
The first Guide to Top Doctors

The Guide to Top Doctors releases to help consumers find physician specialists other doctors “would consider most desirable for care of a loved one.” The resource reveals physicians who are mentioned most often by other area physicians.

2002
Guidetohealthplans.org launches

The first online version of Checkbook’s Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees launches. Many federal agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Department of State purchase access to the Guide for all their employees to use.

2006
Checkbook sues federal government for access to Medicare data

Under the Freedom of Information Act, Checkbook sues the federal government to obtain Medicare data to evaluate physician performance on surgery procedures. In 2014 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announces it will release data on Medicare payments to physicians.

2013
Checkbookhealth.org launches for Illinois

In response to the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Checkbook launches its first Individuals & Families marketplace plan comparison tool to help Illinois residents determine their eligibility for premium subsidies and to compare ACA health plans on total cost.

2013
Health plan quality measures for Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange

Checkbook Health developed health plan quality measures and reporting standards for MN Sure, the Minnesota Health Insurance exchange.

2014
Total cost estimates for Colorado Health Benefit Exchange

Checkbook Health provides total cost estimates of ACA health plans to help Colorado residents choose a plan on the marketplace.

2014
All-plan provider directory tool for Nevada Health Link and CalChoice Exchanges

Checkbook health consolidates and cleans provider data from all participating exchange carriers to create an all-plan provider directory tool. Users can find doctors and understand which exchange plans they participate with from a single interface.

2015
Surgeon Ratings launches

Using newly released data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Checkbook analyzes more than 5 million surgeries performed by more than 50,000 surgeons to create SurgeonRatings.org. This first-of-its-kind website helps consumers identify surgeons with the best patient outcomes for 12 high-risk surgeries.

2015
Plan comparison tool for DC Health Link

Checkbook Health built a plan comparison tool for DC Health Link to help DC residents choose ACA plans and to assist small business employees in health plan selections through the Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP). The DC tool is the first to integrate plan attributes, premiums, out-of-pocket estimates, and provider look-up in a single comprehensive plan comparison tool.

2015
Plan comparison tool for MNsure

Checkbook Health built a plan comparison tool for MNsure to help individual Minnesotans choose ACA plans and to assist small business employees in health plan selection through the Small Business Health Option Program (SHOP).

2015
All-plan provider directory tool for MA Connector

Checkbook health consolidates and cleans provider data from all participating exchange carriers to create an all-plan provider directory tool. 

2015
Checkbook Health wins Plan Choice Challenge

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation names Checkbook Health the winner of its first Plan Choice Challenge, a nationwide competition to design a technology application that helps people choose health plans.

2015
Checkbook Health wins Provider Network Challenge

Checkbook Health was the winner of the Provider Network Challenge by creating a solution that allowed consumers to easily identify providers in their insurance network and to solicit patient reviews of providers.

2016
All-plan prescription drug formulary lookup for DC Health Link

Checkbook Health adds RX drug formulary lookup to the DC Health Link plan comparison tool, allowing users to look-up individual prescription drugs and compare the specific copays/coinsurance amounts of their selected drugs for all exchange plans.

2016
Plan comparison tool for Vermont Health Connect

Checkbook health built a plan comparison tool for Vermont Health Connect to help Vermonters compare health plan options and to assist small business employees with their choices.

2016
Plan comparison tool for CoverMissouri.org

With funding through the Missouri Foundation for Health, Checkbook Health provided a plan comparison tool on CoverMissouri.org to help Missouri residents to compare health plan options.

2016
Plan comparison tool for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department

As a partnership with the Pennsylvania Insurance department, Checkbook Health launched a plan comparison tool that allowed PA residents to compare both on and off-exchange health plans.

2017
Checkbook Health receives highest score from Clear Choices

Checkbook Health was scored the highest of all stated-based health insurance exchanges by Clear Choices for its work with DC Health Link by providing an out-of-pocket cost calculator, integrated provider directory, and integrated drug directory.

2017
Plan comparison tool for Health Source Rhode Island

Checkbook Health launched a plan comparison tool that allowed RI residents to compare both health plan and dental plan exchange plans offered on the Health Source Rhode Island exchange.

2018
Plan comparison tool for the New Mexico Health Insurance Marketplace

Checkbook health provided a plan comparison tool to the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance to help NM consumers select an individual qualified health plan through the New Mexico Health Insurance Marketplace.

2019
Comparison tool to evaluate cost and coverage of PrEP medication 

In partnership with the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), Checkbook health built an online tool that shows the monthly and annual cost of PrEP for on- and off-Marketplace health plans.

2019
Plan comparison tool for the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace

Checkbook health provided a plan comparison tool for the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace to help Oregonians compare their health plan options.

2019
Medicare plan comparison tool for dialysis patients

In partnership with Dialysis Patient Citizens, Checkbook Health built a custom plan comparison tool for dialysis patients to quickly compare Medicare fee-for-service plans and Medicare Advantage options.

2020
Plan comparison tool for Get Covered NJ

Checkbook health provided a plan comparison tool for the Get Covered NJ to help New Jersey residents compare their health plan options.

2021
Plan comparison tool for the Maine Health Insurance Marketplace

Checkbook health provided a plan comparison tool for the Maine Health Insurance Marketplace to help Maine residents compare their health plan options.

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