How Much Will That Medical Procedure Cost?

by Chris Bjorklund

If you have health insurance, you may not pay much attention to how much different medical procedures cost. But if you don’t have insurance or use out-of-network doctors, you have a right to know the cost of certain procedures ahead of time. That way, you can avoid getting stuck with an unexpected bill or even negotiate a better price from the provider.

The nonprofit group Fair Health has a feature on its website that lets you find estimates of the average prices charged for medical and dental procedures in your area. I just looked up the cost of a physical therapy evaluation for my particular zip code. The chart showed the estimated charge, the estimated reimbursement (which depends on what your plan allows) and the out-of-pocket charge to me. When I checked the costs for a gold crown, I was asked several questions about the type of crown before getting a rough estimate of $1,300. Don’t forget to check out the Healthcare Resources section and the useful Glossary of Terms.