Bellin Health and Prevea Health, both based in Green Bay, Wis., are introducing online tools to compare costs between their hospitals and new ASCs, Green Bay Press Gazette reported Jan. 27.
Bellin's cost comparison tool shows that a colonoscopy and biopsy costs $3,747 at its hospital in Green Bay, while the Bellin Health Marinette Surgery Center charges $2,017 for the same procedure.
"[The Marinette ASC] has better patient experience and satisfaction," Bellin Health CFO James Dietsche said. "It lowers the cost of healthcare to employers (and) people that pay a copay or self-pay out of their pockets by about 40 percent."
Prevea Health's Green Bay ASC will also offer cost comparisons with all Prevea facilities once it opens in May, the report said.
"The whole point of [an ASC]is to be efficient, to be safe for the patient, not having to be in a hospital environment," said Ashok Rai, MD, president and CEO of Prevea Health. "The cost for the employer covering insurance is also less."