When Ben Franklin said, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ he probably wasn’t thinking of 21st-century medical insurance. We maintain coverage in case of catastrophic illness or injury, but sometimes the best care can be found by shopping around.
If Franklin’s ounce of prevention (sports, exercise, or outdoor activities) result in injuries best served at an outpatient surgery center, Longview’s Pacific Surgical Center (PSC) can help. Their physicians quickly and professionally address an array of orthopedic, urology, gastroenterology, podiatry, and general surgery needs.
But why not just use regular insurance at your neighborhood hospital? What’s the benefit of transparency pricing, outpatient surgery, and comparing fine print?
- Transparency is becoming the norm in many healthcare circles.At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), who are “dedicated to building a Culture of Health that provides everyone in America a fair and just opportunity for health and well-being,” researchers believe that “price transparency can control the cost of health care.”
- Transparency helps fight sticker shock.At PSC, it’s their commitment to transparency pricing that sets them apart. Costs are clearly stated and include the surgery itself, as well as facility, surgeon, and anesthesiology fees. Need imaging or lab work before your operation? Pacific Imaging Center is on-site for convenient, expedited services.
- Transparency lowers overall costs.According to the RWJF report, “both price transparency and reference pricing—the cost consumers can anticipate paying for a given health procedure or health service—have helped reduce costs in the long run.”
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) notes that since transparency models have grown, “Of those providers that were willing to provide a price estimate for a full knee replacement surgery, the estimate ranged from about $33,000 to about $101,000…Providers thus find themselves defending or trying to explain why charge information often bears little relationship to the price that most patients are actually asked to pay.” At PSC, a total knee replacement is only $20,500.
- Transparency builds—or rebuilds—trust.Doctor’s visits can be scary. Big words are thrown around, medications prescribed, therapies investigated, surgery proposed. But with a clear, transparent explanation of A) what will happen and B) how much it will cost, the patient/consumer often experiences lower stress levels.
The HFMA agrees that “The lack of price transparency in health care threatens to erode public trust in our healthcare system, but this erosion can be stopped. The time for price transparency in health care is now.”
- Transparency is a win/win/win.The Free Market Medical Association sums things up best: “One of the most important pieces of the Free Market Movement is not just saving patients money and a better work environment for providers, but how different the patient experience can be…Many believe you have to pick two of the three: service, quality, price. But we are in on the joke and know that the free market in healthcare drives all three and enables patients to make valuable healthcare purchasing decisions. Timely scheduling with great service and exceptional quality, all at a reasonable price—what more could you ask?”
Though the number of insured Americans is still near its record low, life can change. Outpatient surgery centers like PSC mean that with or without insurance, you’ll get amazing care for the lowest price. They pride themselves that “At Pacific Surgical Center, we know how confusing, and potentially overwhelming medical care can be. The challenges can be even greater when it comes to insurance companies, insurance plans, co-pays, deductibles, etc. So our caring, friendly team strives to give you the support and help you need to navigate the insurance-related aspects of your care.”
The RWJF found that “82% of people who have compared health care prices say they will do so again.” This is echoed by NY Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who said, “I find that when you open the door toward openness and transparency, a lot of people will follow you through.”
Open the door towards your own physical recovery by calling PSC at 360-442-7900 or scheduling an appointment online. Pacific Surgical Center is conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest between the major hubs of Seattle WA and Portland OR.
