1. 5527 POINTS
    Marlin McKelvy
    President, Consumer Directed Benefit Solutions, Memphis, Tennessee
    The cost will vary from doctor to doctor and will depend upon the nature of the office visit and the services rendered.  If you are going to be paying cash then many doctor's offices are quite happy to work with you on that basis as it saves them the time and expense of filing an insurance claim.  So, they may offer an attractive cash rate.  Unfortunately, there really is no uniform pricing system for all health care services that is adhered to uniformly by all physicians.  It's not like going to Midas to get your oil changed.

    I would advise you to call around to several doctor's offices, speak with the office manager and explain what you think you are wanting to see the doctor for and that you are wanting to pay in cash and ask them if they can provide an estimate.  Some probably will and you may be surprised by how many don't know how to deal with that question.

    You can also try to go online and do some research for average costs for various types of office visits and medical tests and procedures.  This may give you some advance knowledge of what average costs (or at least the range of costs) are in your area so that you can know if you are being offered a fair price or to use for negotiating purposes.  An online service like "HealthCost Estimator.com" may also help you in doing your research.

    Finally, for simple procedures and tests there are a growing number of stand alone walk-in clinics or ones housed in pharmacies that do actually have a posted price list for the limited range of services they provide.  For many simple needs this kind of setting may serve your needs.
    Answered on May 13, 2014
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