Not only price compare. I negotiate EVERY bill I get from a provider.
For example, my son was in a fender bender car accident in August. He was hit from behind while he was stopped at a light. He ended up going to the hospital 1 mile away in an ambulance. After Cigna negotiated the bills with the hospital, ER doctor, radiologist and ambulance. I was still left with bills totaling over $3000 that I needed to pay out of my Health Savings Account. Originally they were over $8K.
The hospital bill was $2355 after insurance. I called them and said I could not pay it. Immediately, they dropped the bill 35%. I offered them $1000. The person stated she would have to speak with her superior. She called me back the next day and said the best she could do was $1435. I paid that amount.
I did the same with the rest of the bills. They all dropped the price to some extent.
Good to know. I have no health insurance and had a “mental episode” (I am 65) a few weeks ago and was admitted to the emergency in our small town hospital. Thy did either a cat scan or an MRI (the one that doesn’t pound loudly) and I spent a half hour in a bed. They gave me a blood pressure pill and said my brain looks great and then I was out.
I’m “looking forward to” finding out how much it’s gonna cost. It will still be cheaper than the five years of health insurance premiums I’ve saved.