Websites from different types of organizations provide health care cost information. All are generally available to all users except sites provided by insurance companies. The insurance company sites generally require that you be insured by that company and that you have a password. (Consider asking family members or friends who are insured to check their insurance company web sites for you). The types of sites currently available are:

• Independent web sites. For example:
• ChangeHealthCare.com (information is based on claims data from health insurers)
• HealthcareBlueBook.com
• NewChoiceHealth.com (information is based on information from Medicare data)
• OutOfPocket.com (is a search engine to help you find prices listed on different websites)
• PriceDoc.com
• Sites created by health care providers such as doctors or hospitals.

• Medicare Sites. For example:
• American Medical Association: www.ama-assn.org .  Click on "Browse bookstore", then "CPT Online" then "CPT Code/Value Search".
• Medicare: www.cms.hhs.gov. Click on Medicare, then Physician Fee Schedule Look-up.
• State sites
• In your favorite search engine, type in words such as: compare health costs (name of your state)
• Insurance company web sites. For example:
• Aetna.com
• Anthem.com
• Cigna.com
• Humana.com
• United Health Care: uhc.com  

When checking prices on web sites:

• Check to see what approach the site takes to pricing. For example, some sites provide the list price -- the price the provider would like to get - but seldom does. Others list the price the Medicare pays. Sites from health insurance companies may list the price they pay. 
• Check to find out what is and is not included. It may not be the same. For instance, for surgery, the price may not include the cost of the anesthesiologist (the person who monitors your vital signs and administers anesthesia).

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