They're websites that help patients find cash prices for certain medical procedures. In some cases, patients are saving thousands of dollars. But medical industry experts worry those savings may not be worth it if quality is being sacrificed. Supporters argue that in many cases, patients find better treatment than they would have otherwise.
Matt Hutchings had a cough that just wouldn't quit. After going to the doctor, he learned he had a more serious condition than he expected.
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"They found out I had Barrett's Esophagus. That's where the acids in your stomach come up."
The condition can sometimes lead to cancer of the esophagus, so the specialists recommended surgery to correct this. Matt looked into the cost of the surgery with the doctor who diagnosed him. Even with his insurance, it was going to cost him up to 60-thousand dollars out of pocket! With the help of his insurance company, Matt was able to price match the procedure.
"Then we come to find out there was a lot of other doctors and hospitals that would do it for a much lesser price," Matt told us.
Matt used a company called "MediBid". MediBid is one of a growing number of healthcare bidding websites, where doctors can place "bids" for various procedures.
"The goal is to make healthcare more accessible, affordable-allow the employee to really see the quality, and make an informed decision," according to Ralph Weber,
President, of MediBid.
Weber started MediBid in 2010, because he felt there was a lack of transparency in healthcare. For a fee, the site lets patients search through prices providers submit for various procedures. Weber says, often, those prices are lower than the out of pocket cost from insurance.
"We saw a need for having competition so that people can compete based on quality, based on price, and based on location," Weber said.
Other sites like "Clear Health Costs" and "Pokidok" also help consumers find prices for medical procedures. But could these types of sites compromise quality of care? Caitlin Donovan of the National Patient Advocate Foundation likes that these websites promote transparency, but she's concerned patients may choose a doctor based solely on cost.
"Patients may not do their due diligence," Donovan said. "We're also worried that even if they research their doctor, they may still go for the lowest bid, and less expensive is not a guarantee of high quality. On the same tokee, more expensive isn't always either."
Matt ended up going to a specialist out of state and paid significanlty less than the original quote from his local doctor. The surgery was a success, and Matt doesn't suffer from heartburn anymore. It took some extra research and travel but Matt says he'd do it all over again.
"They were excellent, and I came out owing nothing, which was awesome," Matt told us.
Donovan points out these bidding sites may not be very helpful to a patient who doesn't have any insurance, since the prices may still be too much for a person to pay on their own.
Every doctor on MediBid goes through a pre-screening process. But even the founder says patients should still do their research, and be sure they're comfortable with the doctor they choose.