Since late Winter / early Spring is our Emergency season, we've now got a few bills in front of us. In reviewing one of the ER bills, we saw the charge for the CT Scan. The doctors wanted to do it as a safeguard, I went back and forth, but in the end decided to play it safe.

$781


It took them ten minutes to do it. Had I known the cost... well, I'd still probably have them do it, but maybe would have thought about it a little longer:) Ahhhh, the joys of a 'consumer driven' health plan. The theory is that if you see more of the bills, then you'll consider the cost before having procedures done. Trouble is, you see more of the bills by way of paying them.

We're on a Health Reimbursement Plan, that means my employer covers a certain amount, then we cover a certain amount, then the bills get split 80/20. If you get past that, then everything is covered. So for a period of time, we have the pleasure of paying monthly premiums AND paying the medical bills.

Quite timely was this article by Ben over at the Consumerist about refusing unnecessary treatments. In his case he knew that the x-rays were not needed. For us, we were borderline, but did it to be safe. Isn't that the point?

Anyway, do you have a traditional health plan (HMO, PPO ....) or one of these new "stick-it-to-the-consumer" plans? Would you hesitate to have a procedure done if you knew the cost.