U.S. Patients Overwhelmingly Endorse Transparent Health Care Pricing Service

SOLANA BEACH, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ -- PriceDoc.com, a free, transparent health care pricing service, today announced that patients have performed over one million searches for medical and dental procedures listed on the Web site. PriceDoc.com empowers health care consumers to negotiate the cash price of quality medical procedures. Both patients and providers are integrating transparent pricing into their health care exchange, as over 2,500 providers from across the country have become PriceDoc.com subscribers and posted more than 50,000 medical and dental procedures available for cash prices.

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With more than 47 million Americans without health insurance and an additional 100 million without dental insurance, there is an obvious need for greater access to affordable health care(1). PriceDoc.com, which launched nationally in November 2009, empowers consumers who are uninsured, underinsured or seeking elective procedures to view and reserve prices with qualified providers for cash or credit card payments.  

"PriceDoc.com let me search for the price that worked for me and my family. Before I chose a provider, I read all about the doctors, their qualifications and their philosophy," said Katie Kyser, a Seattle resident and PriceDoc.com user. "I found all the doctors, their staff and offices to be extremely friendly, helpful and professional. Just because you're getting a more affordable price doesn't mean the quality is compromised in any way."

"More and more, patients are participating in Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and other flexible spending plans. These plans allow patients to choose which doctor to go to, and how much to pay for their care. I think PriceDoc.com meshes perfectly with this new trend," said Dr. Robert M. Stark. "It provides patients with useful information on medical providers, and enables providers to value their cash-paying patients with reduced rates at a time when patients are gaining autonomy in their own health care decisions."

In February 2010, PriceDoc.com received a patent for its online bidding system for health services, rendering it the only online site where patients can "make an offer" for health care services at their desired price with verified providers.

"Today, U.S. health care consumers have sent a clear message. They want an easy way to access transparent and negotiable pricing for quality, affordable health care," said Patrick Bradley, Ph.D., president and chief operating officer of PriceDoc.com. "Based on our record market growth over the five months since our national launch, it is evident that both patients and providers believe in transparent medical pricing."

PriceDoc.com and subscribing providers both recognize that quality of care is never compromised by the fee-for-service paid by the patient. With PriceDoc.com, consumers can identify local providers and review provider experience, credentials and patient referrals, ensuring they receive high-quality health care. PriceDoc.com community members can also identify other users with similar health care concerns and ask questions, share experiences and provide support.

"Affordable, top quality medical care is exponentially easier for patients to find with PriceDoc.com," said Dr. Becky Coats of Grapevine Dental Care. "In the past, patients didn't know what to look for; PriceDoc.com makes it easier for patients to find providers who post prices and often offer fee reductions for cash payments. With PriceDoc, it only takes a few clicks of the mouse for patients to get the high-quality services they need and can afford."

By listing their services and prices on PriceDoc.com, health care providers gain access to cash-paying patients who optimize their office scheduling, secure fees-for-service and offer cash payments that reduce paperwork and overhead costs. PriceDoc.com's transparent cash pricing is also attractive to employees who deposit tax-free dollars into HSAs to help offset the higher out-of-pocket costs.

"Patients are already going online to research their doctor's qualifications. Now they can conduct price research as well," said Dr. Joseph C. Galitzin. "We already do research for everything else we're purchasing, and now we can do it for our health care."

About PriceDoc.com

PriceDoc.com is a free consumer service that enables greater access to affordable medical, dental and other health care procedures. Through PriceDoc.com's patented technology, health care consumers who are uninsured, underinsured or seeking elective procedures can compare and negotiate prices for health care procedures or services in their area. PriceDoc.com launched nationally in November 2009. Learn more at: http://www.pricedoc.com/

(1) U.S. Census Bureau, 2006

SOURCE PriceDoc.com