You should treat healthcare like any other purchase, especially if the procedure or treatment you need isn't urgent. While you will be limited by the options available in your insurance provider's network, the chances are that you'll still have plenty of hospitals and doctors to choose from. And you can compare their prices for different procedures by either looking up how much they charge online or calling and asking.

Yes, you can ask how much something will cost before setting an appointment. You can even ask for a discount. Most options will have policies in place created specifically to win the business of price-conscious patients.