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From experience cost shopping, Stanford tends to be by far the worst. A simple EKG would cost over $3k, compared to around $1k or so at other providers. Though
by usaar333 5y ago
From experience cost shopping, Stanford tends to be by far the worst. A simple EKG would cost over $3k, compared to around $1k or so at other providers.
Though just a few years back, it was like pulling teeth to get the insurance negotiated prices (which I pay entirely having an HDHP). Hopefully, more transparency results in more cost shopping, but it's been a surprisingly slow social change.
- Joeri 5y agoPrice transparency will only help by putting pressure on providers for PR purposes, but it will not cause free market dynamics because much of the health care sector is not a real market. Take stitches, who would actually shop around before having the stitches done? You would go to your usual hospital and pay whatever the price ends up being. All urgent care is not a market from the point of the patient, because there is no real opportunity to choose providers. Insurers have to follow the patient or be blamed for not supporting out of network care, so insurers have little market shaping power either.
- AuryGlenz 5y agoI don’t believe most medical care is urgent, but I would say the bigger factor is insurance. If you’re going to blow through your deductible anyways the price doesn’t matter much to the consumer.
- xtracto 5y ago$1000 for an EKG sounds crazy! I got one at an ER in an "expensive " private hospital here in Mexico. I paid less than $50 USd for the EKG and a doctors' checkup. I understand that I the US salaries are 3X what in Mexico but even that doesn't justify the $1000.