Patient consumers are on the rise and we’re seeing that over 80% of surveyed Americans have searched online to find more information about medical procedures they need. Women, in particular, from across the country are becoming much more active participants in their health care; using their resources to become more educated patient consumers.
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Usually, women are directed to their medical specialists by their primary care physicians or OBYNs. If a woman doesn’t have a relationship with a physician already, she often turns to the hospital for medical procedures. This can, unfortunately, end up costing them way too much. If women have the tools to shop around and compare prices of medical procedures, they can save thousands of dollars out-of-pocket each year.
Here are some of the most popular medical procedures for women, all of which they can compare prices for online:
- Cesarean Section – The average c-section costs about $50,000 and insurers payout an average of $27,866. (Truven Health Analytics). Cesarean sections are the #1 most common procedures for women in the United States.
- Hysterectomy – The price of a hysterectomy can range from $7,627 to $11,739 depending on whether the woman has an open hysterectomy in a hospital, a laparoscopic hysterectomy in an outpatient setting or a vaginal hysterectomy.
- Mammogram – According to the American Cancer Society as of 2013, 66% of women under the age of 40 get a mammogram every two years. In recent years’ low cost mammograms have grown in popularity. The average affordable mammogram costs about $128.
- Breast Biopsy – There are two main kinds of biopsies needle biopsies and surgical biopsies, each of which can vary significantly in cost based on where the woman goes for the procedure. Keep in mind that hospitals will have higher priced biopsies.
- Bone Density Test – Osteoporosis affects more than 200 million women worldwide and DEXA bone density tests can help test for it. DXA bone density tests only cost about $105 and should be performed every few years depending on the woman’s t-score.
- Pelvic and Abdominal Ultrasounds – Pelvic ultrasounds are used for a myriad of reasons related to women’s health and are some of the most common women’s imaging procedures. Both ultrasounds usually cost anywhere from $190 – $250 for uninsured patients who are paying out-of-pocket for their MRIs.
