I think it is the right thing for doctors to post their prices for all to see. I am posting my prices for the most common procedures that I do. You can call my office if you need additional prices for things like x-rays, lab tests, mole removals, etc.. I challenge other area doctors and the hospital to do likewise. Medicare and Medicaid are unique in that the government largely mandates those prices for everyone, with little to no difference among doctors, and so I won't be listing those prices here.
To make sure you are comparing apples to apples and oranges to oranges you need to know that all doctors use Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to bill insurance and patients. Every billable thing a doctor does has a procedure code, even office visits. You can compare prices if you know the codes. I'm listing some of the most common codes I use. The most used ones are the office visit codes which get charged for virtually every visit.
The CPT code is followed by the procedure description and then my charge for 2007.
99212 office visit brief $42
99213 office visit expanded $54
99214 office visit detailed $85
90718 tetanus shot $38
73140 finger x-ray $46
80061 lipid profile $16
84703 blood pregnancy test $17
11300 small mole removal from the trunk $133
11730 toenail removal, non-permanent $104
Note also that most doctors use slightly different codes for the office visit charge to new patients. This allows a higher charge to make up for the additional expense of chart creation and computer data entry. I choose not to do this. But for comparison's sake a 99202 is the same level of service as a 99212 visit, just with a new patient instead of a returning one. Likewise 99203 is used like 99213 and 99204 like 99214.
Feel free to call your doctor and ask how much they charge for the same code so you know you are comparing the same procedure. While price alone should not be the only determining factor in choosing your doctor, you have a right to try and get the most value for your money.
