I was a competitive runner for more than 25 years, and several years ago I started to experience a pain in my knee that just would not go away.  No matter how much ice, rest, and physical therapy – the pain was persistent.  I finally made an appointment to see a sports doctor.  After the doctor spent 10 minutes with me, he suggested I have an MRI on my knee – which is a very expensive test for someone that has to pay for the entire bill out of pocket.  I mentioned to the doctor that I had a high-deductible insurance plan and he gave me several diagnostic facilities to contact.  I called every single facility.  In fact, I even called my health plan provider.  I called diagnostic facilities in and near my neighborhood.  I learned that an MRI is an expensive test that can cost anywhere from $500 - $2500, depending on where I decide to go for the test.  And to make matters worse, not a single provider, or insurance carrier could tell me what my out of pocket cost would be for an MRI with my health current insurance plan.  I learned that my health insurance plan negotiated discounts with providers.  Some discounts were more substantial than others and this could make a big difference in MY PRICE.  Every health care provider and health insurance representative I talked to would not share this with information with me. This rude awakening was the beginning of a journey for me.  I realized first hand that consumers need easy access to meaningful tools to help them make informed decisions about where to find the “best value”.  To be honest, I was not shopping for a complicated surgical procedure; I was just looking to find the best price and quality for an MRI so I could find out why I am in so much pain when I run.  I did not want to be overcharged - I just wanted to pay a fair price.  Is that asking too much?

I think most consumers would be outraged if they knew the true cost of health care services.  There are so many different prices for the exact same service.  How are consumers expected to know the difference?  I learned about similar experiences from many other consumers that had similar stories of “the priceless MRI”, so I decided to do something about this problem.  Using the power of the internet, and taking advantage of social-networking, I decided to build a portal where consumers could share prices and personal recommendations on providers, with other consumers.  If enough consumers participate to share prices, consumers will end up creating a powerful tool to help make informed health care purchasing decisions.  Until the industry catches up, consumers are going to have to be creative and resourceful when researching providers and facilities to make the most out of their health care dollars.  I encourage you to check out the website, www.outofpocket.com.  Be sure to tell your family and friends about this project, and let me know what you think.  The best part about this initiative is that is benefits all consumers, including the insured and uninsured, without having to wait for legislation to pass, complicated programs to be initiated, or waiting for the country to decide how to reform our health care system.   

- Mona Lori