Making sense of the real
costs of healthcare
So you can get back to what's important
Making sense of the real
costs of healthcare
So you can get back to what's important
Making
sense of the
real costs of
healthcare
So you can get back
to what's important
You deserve more than a price tag
We tend to be in the dark when it comes to the cost of our healthcare. And when surgery and other treatments are involved, cost becomes an even bigger unknown.
Knowing the price of tests and treatments before you decide to have them is essential. But even that won't tell you the full story. You deserve more information about the services you're paying for so that you can avoid unnecessary costs and setbacks.
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Price doesn't tell the full story
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Price doesn't tell the full story
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The truth about price
Making care decisions based solely on a price comparison may put you at risk of paying more.
That's because of avoidable costs — the costs that no one plans on, but that you pay for all too often, whether it's because of a complication in the hospital or something that happens once you're home.
These preventable costs could mean you end up spending double or triple your original price estimate. Not to mention lost time from work and family or unnecessary pain and discomfort.
So how can you protect yourself from avoidable costs?
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| Choosing one healthcare provider over another may get you a very different result. That's why it's important to make an informed decision. |
HSS has developed a new tool
The Hospital
Cost Estimator
So how can you protect yourself from preventable costs?
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| Choosing one healthcare provider over another may get you a very different result. That's why it's important to make an informed decision. |
This tool is designed to help anyone having surgery, no matter where you seek out care
Let us explain the Hospital Cost Estimator through this short video 
The Six Factors of Reliability
The Hospital Cost Estimator features six factors that indicate how reliable a hospital is at performing a given procedure. These factors help you learn what data to ask for and explain why each one matters to your bottom line — and your health. Learn why we chose these factors.
Success Rate
It’s critical to know whether patients at a specific hospital actually see improvement after their treatment. This data shows how much better patients report feeling one year after treatment. Ask your hospital about the patient-reported success rate for your procedure. A higher success rate is better.
Patient Experience
Feedback from fellow patients says a lot about the care you can expect to receive. Look for real stories from real patients. "Likelihood to Recommend” data is also collected and made publicly available by Medicare on the Care Compare Website. A higher likelihood to recommend is better.
Complication Rate
Patients admitted to the hospital for treatment sometimes develop serious, even life-threatening complications, which may stem from the care they receive. Hospitals can often prevent these complications by following certain best practices. This data is available on the Care Compare Website. A lower complication rate is better.
Avoidable Hospital Visits
No one wants to find themselves back in the hospital unexpectedly after a procedure — and your hospital can help prevent return visits. This data shows whether a hospital is doing what’s needed to reduce the risk of harmful events such as health-care associated infections and other serious problems that require re-hospitalization. Check Medicare’s Care Compare Website for this info. A lower rate of unplanned visits is better.
Procedure Volume
We all know that practice makes perfect. The more time doctors and staff spend on cases like yours, the greater their expertise. Ask your hospital about the volume for your procedure. A higher procedure volume is better.
Cost Efficiency
Most price calculations give you only the initial price tag for your hospital visit. What they don’t usually tell you about are the extra costs that may add up in the first 30 days after your procedure due to complications, rehabilitation and other factors. This data is available on the Care Compare Website, and is referred to as ‘Payment & Value of Care’. A lower cost-efficiency ratio is better.
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This is just one example of a valuable data point. We’re sharing our own data for ten of the most common orthopedic procedures. Our hope is that more hospitals will also make these numbers available to patients to better serve their needs.
Hospitals with a high volume of orthopedic patients have 37%
fewer deaths  58%
fewer infections |
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This is just one example of a valuable data point. We’re sharing our own data for ten of the most common orthopedic procedures Our hope is that more Hospitals will also make these numbers available to patients to better serve their needs.
Hospitals with a high volume of orthopedic patients have 37%
fewer deaths 58%
fewer infections |
How much do endorsements from third parties really matter? The answer all depends on who’s doing the endorsing. Several groups of independent experts have dug deeper and found U.S. News & World Report to be the most credible of the various hospital rating systems.
How much do endorsements from third parties really matter? The answer all depends on who's doing the endorsing. Several groups of independent experts have dug deeper and found U.S. News & World Report to be the most credible of the various hospital rating systems.
Next Step: Select a Procedure or Test
