Illinois gets F grade for Price Transparency for Health Care Costs to help Patients choose wisely.

NPR carried a news story about Price transparency in various states.Illinois got F grade.A Bloomberg writer wrote about Hip surgery prices in 30 cities.John Tozzi found that the price can double across town. People commented the same about MRI prices in response to NPR article.Beckers hospital review,modern health care and others reported that this price transparency for Healthcare was required by State price transparency laws based on 2014 legislation. Only 5 states got passing grade. New Hampshire got A grade, Colorado,Maine got B grade,Vermont,Virginia got C grade. Illinois got F grade.

Matt Lauer of NBC,Today’s show reported that a Chicago man shopped around nearby and found average price quote of 3500$ in Chicago ,so he traveled to Oregon where he got his colonoscopy(preventive) for approx.1000$ without anesthesiologist fee(not required in Oregon-but reqd.in Illinois). With added travel cost by air,rental car,hotel etc.he saved money.

Now American Colonoscopy and Endoscopy Center in Geneva,Il. is offering prices that make it unnecessary to travel to Oregon.

In Kane county, the price of Preventive Colonoscopy can vary by over 100%.

American Colonoscopy and Endoscopy center prices are far lower than Tricities Surgical Center in Geneva,Il.These facilities are located a block away. Insist on getting facility fee prices before getting any procedure.

Call 630 232 2025 to find their price. This facility has a GI trained at The Cleveland Clinic-rated # 2 in America. A certified Anesthesiologist and a nurse is on duty during the procedure as required by Illinois rules.

This facility is cerified by JCAHO.

References: John Tozzi--” Thirty cities where the price of a New Hip can double across town.” Google it. GOOD DATA.We talked to John Tozzi.You can call also--and ask for data for your zip code.

There are other articles,but they do not provide good data-just make references or give websites name like Healthcare Blue book. We checked this website--they do not provide data for Delnor Hospital or Tricities,but give you data for a hospital 40 miles away.We spoke to them--their response--this is a rough guide -WHAT YOU SHOULD PAY?-- If try that approach,you will be stuck .So best option is to get price information yourself-get the name of person providing that information. For MRI,call the various centers-some will give you the information quickly,others will not. We tried Castlight Healthcare--but you or your employer has to be a member--pay the annual fees. Other websites on Google search are not reliable-their data is wrong.Sometimes they entice you to pay a fee and they will call on your behalf.So BEST OPTION: CALL YOURSELF.