Imagine this: You get a hospital bill in the mail and, before paying it, you plug its contents into a smartphone app. Up pops information on whether the prices you've been charged are in line with national averages, along with recommendations about how to dispute the bill if you choose. Or take this scenario: Your doctor recommends you get knee surgery. You key in your zip code and the type of surgery you need and immediately access a list of nearby surgical facilities and information about quality and cost metrics for each. As a bonus, you also get information on your own doctor, including how much he earns in Medicare payments every year and his complication rate for the type of surgery you need