May 31, 2012 8:15 AM
You probably already realize that a gallbladder operation or knee replacement, or a simple blood test, for that matter, doesn't come with a price tag attached. But do you have any idea how difficult it really is for consumers to figure out how much health care costs? Consider these three facts:
1. The price of the identical service, in the identical city, can vary by five-fold or even more. Proof is right there in our report, out today, entitled "That CT scan costs how much?" In one Midwestern city, insurers pay anywhere from $840 to $4,481 for a simple colonoscopy, according to figures compiled for Consumer Reports by Healthcare Blue Book, a service that provides consumers information on local "fair" prices for a range of medical services.
2. Your PPO may not pay as much as you think it will for the out-of-network coverage it brags about. Just ask the woman who got a bill of $480,000 for her share of an out-of-network back surgery. Our report explains exactly how such a thing can happen, and how to keep it from happening to you.
3. Even if you faithfully go to hospitals and doctors in your health plan's network, you can still be hit with, and have to pay, whopping out-of-network balance bills. That's because a lot of doctors who work inside hospitals don't participate in the same networks the hospital does. And no one has to warn you about this, either.
Get more details, along with advice on how to protect yourself, in our full report. And see our health insurance buying guide, too.
—Nancy Metcalf1. The price of the identical service, in the identical city, can vary by five-fold or even more. Proof is right there in our report, out today, entitled "That CT scan costs how much?" In one Midwestern city, insurers pay anywhere from $840 to $4,481 for a simple colonoscopy, according to figures compiled for Consumer Reports by Healthcare Blue Book, a service that provides consumers information on local "fair" prices for a range of medical services.
2. Your PPO may not pay as much as you think it will for the out-of-network coverage it brags about. Just ask the woman who got a bill of $480,000 for her share of an out-of-network back surgery. Our report explains exactly how such a thing can happen, and how to keep it from happening to you.
3. Even if you faithfully go to hospitals and doctors in your health plan's network, you can still be hit with, and have to pay, whopping out-of-network balance bills. That's because a lot of doctors who work inside hospitals don't participate in the same networks the hospital does. And no one has to warn you about this, either.
Get more details, along with advice on how to protect yourself, in our full report. And see our health insurance buying guide, too.
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