Center For The Study Of Services

RESEARCH, INVESTIGATE, DEVELOP INFORMATION,EDUCATE AND INFORM THE PUBLIC GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, SERVICE PROVIDERS AND OTHERS DIRECTLY & THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS ON THE PERFORMANCE, QUALITY AVAILABILITY & COSTS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING RETAILERS.

HEALTHCARE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND INFORMATION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM DOES SURVEYS, ANALYSIS, AND OTHER RESEARCH AND PROVIDES EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, GOVERNMENT, AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO IMPROVE CONSUMERS', PROVIDERS', PUBLIC POLICY LEADERS AND OTHERS' UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO THAT CONSUMERS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE PARTIES CAN MAKE APPROPRIATE PROVIDER CHOICES AND DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH PROVIDERS, AND SO THAT PROVIDERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ENABLED AND MOTIVATED TO WORK FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. CSS/CHECKBOOK ALSO DESIGNED AND HOSTED DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS, WHICH SUPPORT CONSUMERS IN CHOOSING HEALTH PLANS BASED ON COST, PLAN QUALITY, AND PROVIDER PARTICIPATION WHEN PURCHASING ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE EXCHANGES. WE CURRENTLY OFFER TOOLS IN RHODE ISLAND, MAINE, VERMONT, MASSACHUSETTS, WASHINGTON DC, OREGON, AND CALIFORNIA.

CHECKBOOK AND CHECKBOOK.ORG. THIS PROGRAM DOES SURVEYS, ANALYSIS, AND OTHER RESEARCH AND PROVIDES EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC, GOVERNMENT, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO IMPROVE CONSUMERS', PROVIDERS', PUBLIC POLICY LEADERS AND OTHERS' UNDERSTANDING AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE OF SERVICE PROVIDERS SO THAT CONSUMERS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE PARTIES CAN MAKE APPROPRIATE PROVIDER CHOICES AND DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH PROVIDERS, AND SO THAT PROVIDERS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ENABLED AND MOTIVATED TO WORK FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES AND STORES, FROM AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES TO PLUMBERS TO SUPERMARKETS TO FITNESS CLUBS TO ELECTRICIANS TO HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS. CSS/CHECKBOOK CONTINUED ITS ONGOING PUBLICATION OF CONSUMERS' CHECKBOOK MAGAZINE AND CHECKBOOK'S UPDATE NEWSLETTER IN SEVEN MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS (BOSTON, PHILADELPHIA, WASHINGTON-DC, CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, SEATTLE, AND SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND/SAN JOSE), AND CONTINUED TO UPDATE AND EXPAND THE CHECKBOOK.ORG WEBSITE SERVING THESE AREAS. CSS/CHECKBOOK ALSO RESEARCHES, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHES ARTICLES EDUCATING CONSUMERS SUCH AS THE ARTICLES "65 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) SHOULDN'T PAY FOR AND "SALE PRICES ARE RARELY REAL DEALS". THE INFORMATION DIRECTLY REACHES ABOUT 86,000 INDIVIDUAL CHECKBOOK SUBSCRIBERS. FINDINGS AND ADVICE, AND LISTS OF TOP-RATED SERVICE FIRMS, WERE ALSO REPORTED IN NEWSPAPERS AND ON TV AND RADIO WITH DOZENS OF SEGMENTS ON MAJOR STATIONS IN THE VARIOUS MEDIA MARKETS. CSS/CHECKBOOK'S PUBLICATIONS CARRY NO ADVERTISING, DO NOT ALLOW USE OF THEIR NAME IN ADVERTISING, AND ACCEPT NO PAYMENTS FROM FIRMS THEY EVALUATE. THE ORGANIZATION'S EVALUATIONS ARE DONE RIGOROUSLY. FIRM SCORES ARE IN MANY CASES ARE BASED ON HUNDREDS OF SUCH RATINGS. IN ADDITION, VARIOUS OTHER EVALUATION METHODS ARE USED, INCLUDING MANY THOUSANDS OF PRICE CHECKS BY CHECKBOOK'S UNDERCOVER PRICE SHOPPERS, SURVEYS OF EXPERTS, ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS ON FILE AT CONSUMER AGENCIES, ANALYSIS OF GOVERNMENT DATA, ETC. CSS/CHECKBOOK PUBLISHED, IN PRINT AND ONLINE, A GUIDE TO HEALTH PLANS FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHICH IS SUBSCRIBED TO BY VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES, UNIONS, AND ASSOCIATIONS FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS.