The snip of a table displayed here shows something dramatic:  DOC$ is able to help Healthcare consumers find competitive prices for medical procedures. Some of these are significant expenses, and almost ALL of them are paid out of pocket—even WITH insurance!

Prices for an MRI of a lower-leg joint—like a very common knee MRI—are shown here. These are taken direct from the websites of the Providers who appear in this comparison on our website.

"Whoa! Who pays ninety-four hundred dollars for an MRI???"

The answer to that is:  Probably no one. But these are the "cash" prices that are listed. In the case of two hospitals, the prices are included in their "Chargemaster" which is a very long Excel spreadsheet 1) mandated to be listed by a new law passed by Congress, and 2) buried deep inside their websites.

If you were to call them, you might get a different "best cash price" depending on a number of factors, such as, "Who is your insurance with?" But we have got to start somewhere, so we start with what they publish. The other, MUCH more competitive price ($450.00) is from a local imaging clinic which advertises their "cash price" on their website. They also promote a conveniently short wait, and "You'll leave the same day with results [probably a CD] to take back to your doctor."

As we pointed out earlier, most physicians will refer patients for an MRI, CT-Scan and other similar outsourced procedures. So it is vital to have competitive information of the type we're showing. That's because doctors customarily refer their patients to ONE PREFERRED provider. They don't make it their business to price-shop for you, and they don't offer a menu of choices for the most part.

DOC$ wants to gather and display A LOT MORE of this type of helpful information. There are myriads of out-of-pocket, "subject to annual deductible" procedures such as minor surgeries, ortho and E.N.T. treatments, physical therapy, tests and imaging, just to name a few. Many can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, and can deal a severe blow to a family's financial condition.

We need everyone who sees this to share, and to otherwise help spread the word, as well as participate—anonymously, by creating a username. Once registered, you can use our forms to build a record of your medical purchases. Those can then be searched by everyone to find values 1) by individual procedure, and 2) locally—in your area.

The experts who study and write about the Healthcare Economy mainly say the same thing:  "Consumers are not able to price-shop for medical services." "Medical consumerism is not possible, or at least not practical." Oh no? What about LASIK, BOTOX, JUVEDERM, COSMETIC DENTISTRY and other medical procedures that are 1) mostly cash-pay/non-insured, and 2) highly competitive and widely advertised?

The procedures on which we are focusing ARE hard to find price information for—BECAUSE they're "insured." Yes, insured. Except for the all-important deductible. DOC$ is here to gather this competitive medical price information, and put it all in one convenient place, so you can...

Know the Cost of Healthcare BEFORE You Go In!