A few years ago, my doctor recommended a routine heart exam. I would be paying for it out-of-pocket, since I had a high-deductible plan, so naturally I asked what it would cost. After a great deal of effort, I was told the list price was $5,500, and my insurer’s rate was $3,500. But when I did some more research, I found out the same procedure could be had elsewhere for a tenth of the price: $550.