Outofpocket.com - Expose Costs of Health Care

Outofpocket.com was started by consumer advocates to help give you the true price of health care services. The health care industry remains one of the least transparent consumer industries, and consumers are often stuck with unreasonable and surprising out-of-pocket expenses, even when they are covered. Hence the birth of this site. Using the template of a social networking site and a basic directory, it is easy to search for the cost of certain procedures (I did a search for mammograms in CA and immediately got a listing of prices in different zip codes). It is also just as easy to input your own experience and the cost of services to the directory. This information can empower the consumer to fight unreasonable charges, or better yet, to ask the doctor and/or or health care provider the costs BEFORE visiting a doctor or a facility. While the site is still new and needs more users, its purpose and service is invaluable.