DIY Health Reform Reduces Surgery Costs 50-90%

It is well documented that high deductible health plans (HDHP) are rapidly growing (see here, here, here, and here). It is indisputable that HDHPs have an effect on consumer behavior (not all positive... improperly designed HDHPs result in lower use of preventive screenings). Personally, I have gone from a Cadillac health plan where I paid nothing (literally) to a $10,000 deductible for my family. Let me give you an example. One of my kids needed to have their adenoids removed. Before, we would have blithely gotten the procedure done oblivious to the costs. Instead, I tried mightily to get a price ahead of time so I could negotiate a cash price. Only the surgeon was willing to give me a price for his services. I paid him out of my HSA prior to the surgery and we both came out ahead. Unfortunately, the hospital was unwilling to give me this information. The final bill was close to $10,000. In contrast, the Surgery Center of Oklahoma would have charged $2,695 for the entire procedure. source: forbes.com
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