Healthcare Bluebook
Beginning October 1, 2014 MACo Health Care Trust members enrolled in a medical plan can shop for care with Healthcare Bluebook. Get the most affordable care available in your area, from high quality providers.
Why use a healthcare pricing tool?
- Healthcare costs have doubled in the past 9 years
- In-network prices for most healthcare services vary by 300% to 500% or more, depending on the provider
- A sleep study can cost under $1,000 or over $3,500 in the same town
- Your friends and neighbors may already be saving by using Healthcare Bluebook
- You too can reduce your healthcare costs by becoming a true healthcare consumer
How does Healthcare Bluebook work?
- Search for services by using drop down menus or searching on key terms
- Learn the Fair Price™ you should pay in your area and how much you can save by making cost effective choices; prices are based on your local area
- You can then compare specific providers on both cost and quality
What is the Fair Price?
- The amount that you should reasonably expect to pay in-network
- Based on the local mix of prices – not the lowest price
- Multiple providers are available at or below the fair price
How do I access Healthcare Bluebook?
- Go to askallegiance.com
- Enter the website
- Select Cost Transparency on the main page
- Enter Group number and Participant ID from ID card
- Confirm or change the zip code
Healthcare Bluebook Users Tell Us:
“I had to have a stress test done and I used Healthcare Bluebook to find the least expensive facility. St. Francis was $4,300 and the heart facility at Community North was only $1,700 – and will probably be less than that!”
“After paying nearly $1.400 more than I should have for an ultrasound test, I needed an abdominal CT scan and used Healthcare Bluebook to find that the Fair Price for that test was about $850. I found a different provider that charged the Fair Price. Our regular provider, the local hospital, would have charged $3,492. I saved over $2,600.”
“The Healthcare Bluebook is wonderful. I found over a $1,000 price difference between St. Vincent and an imaging center.”
How do I search for the price of a service?
- Select from a drop down box
- Enter a search term in the search box
- Select the service from the results list
How do I find a provider at the Fair Price?
Providers are listed with their color price rating- A link to your PPO provider search is provided
- Click on a facility to get more information and see physicians whopractice at that facility
- Maps, price ratings and quality ratings are provided
What are ShopSmartTM Services?
- ShopSmart services are those on which you have the opportunity to save hundreds or thousands of dollars and they:
- Vary in price a lot
- Are expensive
- Can be shopped for a better price
- Are generally performed in an outpatient setting
What do the colors mean?
- Green = at or below the Fair Price
- Yellow = somewhat above the Fair Price
- Red = among the most expensive providers
What if there aren’t any providers listed for my area?
- Healthcare Bluebook helps you understand the price you should pay for care in your area
- Use the Fair Price in conjunction with your provider directory to call local providers and find one that charges at or near the Fair Price
Can I access Healthcare Bluebook from my mobile device?
- iPhone and Android apps are available to download
- You can also access the Healthcare Bluebook site from your mobile device’s browser