Medical care pricing a tangled web

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, June 23, 2008

The cost of surgery for a spinal fusion of the lower back in southeastern Wisconsin can range from $25,000 to more than $50,000. The price depends on the hospital, the doctors, and the insurer covering the procedure. The wide disparity in prices shows why many contend that more information on what hospitals and doctors charge is needed to lower costs and make the healthcare system work better. The effort to provide consumers with meaningful pricing information, however, is slow and complicated.