by Walencia Konrad, NY Times, November 28, 2009
"Can you really shop for doctors and hospitals the way you would for airfares and flat-screen TVs?
Health care consumers are encouraged to comparison-shop on things like doctor’s fees and heart surgery rates. But unfortunately, most of us have little clear or useful information to go shopping with.
This is an important and helpful article in the NY Times. If you want to find the lowest rate for a procedure or learn what is usual and customary, check it out. It documents that your insurance company gets a better rate for a procedure than a non-insured person does.
Helpful resources:
PriceDoc.comThese sites are still a bit primitive and not many options. It's a great idea and hopefully they will offer more options in future. .
