The first time I took my kid to the emergency room was an unforgettable experience. It was the middle of the night; he’d fallen off the bed at someone else’s house and bumped his head. After waiting for hours, we were finally seen by the MD on duty who asked me a surprising question; “Do you want us to give your son an MRI?” I blinked. Who’s the doc here I wondered? “What would you do if this was your son?” I asked. Very diplomatically, he told me to skip the MRI and just get the stitches. That was the right decision; our son was fine and didn’t need the MRI after all.

After reflecting on that moment, I was glad the Doc gave us a choice. That MRI would have cost thousands, the insurance company would pick up some of the tab, and I would have been left with a large bill for an unnecessary expense.

I wish all of visits worked out that nicely. Recently, our other son had to visit the pediatrician and was prescribed a month-long treatment of medicine. We picked up the first prescription, a 6 day supply, and it costs us $90. Before filling the next week’s prescription, we checked with the pediatrician’s office and found out there was a generic available for only $7. Why hadn’t our doctor’s office prescribed the generic in the first place?

I have a solution for the outrageous costs of healthcare in our country; doctors’ offices need menus. Would you order off a restaurant’s menu at if they didn’t list their prices? Why are doctor’s offices different? After all, they are businesses too.

Why aren’t we made aware of the costs before we approve of the care?  The pharmaceutical companies tell us what to ask doctors for, so why not tell us the price as well?  Doctors and dentists advertise to attract new customers. So why shouldn’t we know the prices and be able to comparison shop?

Opponents will tell you this will prevent people from getting the primary care they need, because they’ll be concerned about the cost. If that is true, then people concerned about costs may already be skipping necessary visits. Isn’t it better to know upfront what the costs will be and make an informed decision, rather than be surprised (or angered) later after the choice has been made?

Here are a few tips to getting the most for your money when visiting the doctor, dentist, or ophthalmologist:

1. Call ahead and request pricing information. Likely, offices will resistant to giving out their prices before you’re seen. Press them for information anyhow. After all, it’s your money.
2. Shop around. Who says you have to see the same doctor each time?
3. Ask for a cash discount. We have been able to get as much as 30% knocked off the cost of some visits simply be paying cash. It saves offices the hassle and delay of getting reimbursements from insurance companies.
4. Consider lower cost alternatives. Ask for a nurse practitioner instead of a doctor next time. Or consider one of the Minute Clinics at CVS. You can get some nice savings from either.

It’s not that I dislike doctors. I have several friends that are MD’s and they always pay when we go out. It’s simply about competitive pricing, like every other purchase we make.