FYI: Heard about this on an internet podcast interview and checked it out. A group of 40 surgeons and anesthesiologists bought an old hospital that was up for sale and turned it into a "surgery center" that they have complete control over, including the real estate end of it, the most efficient use of staff, and the elimination of wasteful operating room practices "that non-profit hospitals have no incentive to curb." Plus, they have the lowest hospital infection rate anywhere, with two years in a row having .001% compared to a national infection rate of 2.6%.
Fees for the surgeon, anesthesiologist and facility are all included in one low price. There are no hidden costs, charges or surprises. The physician-owned and managed facility deals in cash or self-pay health insurance only, no credit cards, no personal checks, no tax dollars, no grants, no state or federal monies attached to it at all. They have been accredited by the AAAHC ever since 1998, and because of all this combined, their surgery prices are VERY, very low, low enough that "medical tourism" that usually goes outside the USA is bringing foreigners into the USA!
Canadians, etc., who have "free health care" but have to wait in line for 3 years for surgery, are coming to this free-market facility in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for their surgery, happily paying out of pocket. An example given on the podcast interview was that carpal tunnel surgery has a total one lump sum of $2750.00, paid upfront before surgery. Some people having had the carpal tunnel surgery have been able to file with their insurance company when they got back home, and the insurance company paid them the "standard out of network reimbursement fee," which sometimes gave the patient more than they paid for the surgery. The Oklahoma City Surgery Center's highest surgery prices, out of all provided services, are for spine-lumbar problems and a tubal reversal, both of which are under $10,000.
During the live interview, one of the founders, Dr. Keith Smith, MD. (they are all conventional medical doctors performing conventional medical services) stated that they do "horse trading" with the poor who call them, finding out what the poor people are willing to pay, and then set their prices accordingly, being totally transparent. "We have been delivering affordable care at the prices listed on our website for four years now. Our pricing has been used by patients to leverage area hospitals to lower their prices." Dr. Smith continued that this policy of price honesty angers and scares those who prefer to be tied to the "free" health-care industry that includes government-owned hospitals/doctors being the boss instead of the patient being the boss, and gives hope to those who can see that this same kind of free-market health care could become the wave of the future for more medical professionals and patients to enjoy!
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