Medical Shopping

Patient Money - Shopping Around for the Best Prices in Medical Care - NYTimes.com: "...Take Katie Kyser, 30, the mother of a year-old daughter, who lives north of Seattle. She and her husband, Jason, who works in construction, recently moved from California. They have no health insurance, so they pay all costs out of pocket.

When Ms. Kyser needed a routine gynecological exam, she called a handful of local doctors, all of whom were charging $200 or more. “There’s no way we could pay that,” Ms. Kyser said. “I had to find another way.”

Having seen an ad for PriceDoc.com, a new Web site that lists doctors throughout the country who are willing to post their prices and negotiate with patients, she decided to try it. Ms. Kyser found a nearby clinic where doctors charged only $75 for the exam.

“I was a little nervous at first because the price was so cheap, but when I got there, it was wonderful,” Ms. Kyser said. “Everyone was so professional and helpful.”

The crucial part of shopping wisely for health care (or anything else for that matter) is comparing prices the way Ms. Kyser did..."

One of the hospitals in the local area offers a substantial discount for paying copays and other ancillary costs up front-- the discounts can amount to 25%, certainly nothing to sneeze at (no puns here), and a factor I take into account when looking for medical services.