23.2.05

Injury Treatment Comparison Shopping?

Wisconsin's PricePoint lets Wisconsin residents compare hospital charges for procedures. Charges shown don't include physicians fees, like surgeons or anesthesiologists, but it's somewhat helpful for those with high-deductibles to cost-compare hospitals.

Trauma patients would need to know hospital prices ahead of time and be in an urban area to have a choice, but it may be helpful for elective surgery. For example, one may cost compare major surgery, like hip replacement surgery, knee surgery, ankle surgery and foot surgery at Waukesha County hospitals like Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin; Elmbrook Memorial Hospital in Brookfield, Wisconsin; Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital in Oconomowc, Wisconsin; and Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, Wisconsin.

PricePoint is a nice idea but the reality is healthcare isn't a commodity that's easily shopped, but a complex and expensive service we all pay for through private health insurance and taxes, like Medicare and Medicaid, and according to recent studies, health insurers and government healthcare dictate costs more than anything.

Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer