About Our Editorial Team
USHealthCosts.com is created by a team of health policy researchers, data analysts, and healthcare industry professionals dedicated to making healthcare pricing transparent and understandable. Our combined experience spans health economics, insurance policy, and consumer advocacy.
Our Editorial Standards
- ✓All content reviewed for accuracy by healthcare policy experts
- ✓Data sourced exclusively from government and authoritative sources
- ✓No affiliate relationships with insurance companies or healthcare providers
- ✓Content updated during each Open Enrollment period
Our Qualifications
The USHealthCosts.com team brings together expertise from multiple disciplines essential for accurate healthcare cost reporting:
Health Policy Analysis
Team members with graduate degrees in public health, health policy, and health economics.
Insurance Industry Experience
Direct experience with insurance rate filing, actuarial analysis, and marketplace operations.
Data Science & Analytics
Statistical expertise in healthcare data analysis, pricing transparency, and trend modeling.
Consumer Advocacy
Background in patient advocacy and helping consumers navigate complex healthcare systems.
Our Content Review Process
Healthcare costs impact real people's lives and finances. To ensure accuracy, our team follows a rigorous multi-step verification process for all published content:
- Data Aggregation: We compile raw pricing data from CMS Public Use Files, state insurance department rate filings, hospital price transparency reports (required by law since 2021), and trusted research organizations like the Kaiser Family Foundation.
- Statistical Analysis: Rather than using simple averages that can be misleading, we calculate percentile-based ranges (25th, 50th, 75th) to show realistic price variation. This helps users understand both "best case" and "typical" scenarios.
- Local Verification: We cross-reference our estimates with regional provider networks, state-specific marketplace guides, and insurance carrier rate filings to ensure our ranges reflect local market conditions.
- Editorial Review: All content is reviewed for clarity, accuracy, and completeness before publication. We ensure claims are supported by data and sources are properly cited.
- Annual Audits: We review our content during every Open Enrollment period (November-January) to reflect the latest premium data, policy changes, and federal poverty level updates.
Meet the Team
Sarah Chen, MPH
Lead Health Policy Analyst
Sarah leads our content strategy and data research. With a Master of Public Health in Health Policy & Management from Columbia University and over 12 years of experience in health economics research, she specializes in ACA marketplace analysis and hospital pricing transparency. Previously, she worked with state insurance commissioners on rate review processes.
Michael Torres
Senior Data Analyst
Michael manages our data pipeline and statistical analysis. With a background in biostatistics and healthcare analytics, he transforms complex CMS datasets and hospital transparency files into actionable insights. His focus is ensuring our cost ranges accurately reflect real-world price variation.
Dr. Lisa Patel
Medical Content Advisor
Dr. Patel reviews our medical procedure content for clinical accuracy. A practicing physician with experience in both academic medicine and community health centers, she ensures our descriptions of medical procedures and imaging tests are medically accurate while remaining accessible to general audiences.
Contributing Writers & Researchers
Our core team is supported by a network of contributing researchers, licensed insurance professionals, and healthcare advocates who provide state-specific insights and help verify local market conditions.
Our Commitment to Independence
Editorial independence is fundamental to our mission. We maintain strict separation between advertising and editorial content:
- No affiliate relationships: We do not earn commissions from insurance companies or receive payment for leads.
- No sponsored content: Advertisers cannot influence our content or rankings.
- Transparent advertising: All advertisements are clearly labeled and separated from editorial content.
- No insurance sales: We do not sell insurance policies. Our role is purely educational.
Contact the Editorial Team
Have a question about our data methodology? Found a discrepancy in our cost estimates? We want to hear from you.
Editorial inquiries: editor@ushealthcosts.com
Data corrections: data@ushealthcosts.com
For general inquiries, please visit our Contact page.