$371.30 Cost Plus Drugs cash price. $10,239.69 paid by J&J plan, 96% savings
0%
Hip replacement
$18,000 bundled vs. $75,000+ at academic centers, 76% savings.
0%
Knee surgery in NYC
$5,200 vs. $50,000 — same ZIP code zip code, 90% savings
0%
MRIs in NYC
$340 to $3,600, even with the same insurer, 91% savings
0%
Spinal fusion
$45,000 at specialty centers vs. $250,000+ elsewhere, 82% savings.
These aren’t outliers—they’re systemic. The U.S. healthcare system rewards opacity, not outcomes. The fix is simple: let clinical evidence and transparent cost data drive decisions.
The cost of inaction
U.S. healthcare spending will easily exceed $7 trillion/year by 2035, if current trends continue
Life expectancy and other health metrics could continue to fall
Inequities will widen, bankruptcies will rise, and employers will face unsustainable costs