Avoid Hospitals When Possible
If you have a medical emergency, go to the hospital immediately. However, if you need a non-emergency procedure or treatment, consider receiving care at a lower-cost healthcare facility whenever appropriate.
Hospital-based care is often significantly more expensive than care provided at independent outpatient facilities. For many routine procedures, you can receive the same high-quality care at a fraction of the cost.
Examples of Independent Outpatient Facilities are:
- Surgery Centers
- X Ray/Radiology Centers
- Blood Testing Laboratory Centers
- Physical Therapy Centers
Independent surgery centers that are not owned by hospitals often charge substantially less than hospital outpatient departments. Depending on the procedure and your location, the total cost may be 30% to 70% lower, potentially saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Use the Following tools to locate an independent Center.
Use the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) Map to Locate a Center
The ASCA maintains an interactive map of Medicare-certified ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) nationwide. You can search by:
- Address, city, or ZIP code
- State or U.S. Congressional District
- Specialty type (e.g., orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology) Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA)
This map includes both hospital-affiliated and independent ASCs, so you can filter to find those that operate independently.
Use Online Blood Testing Lab Locators
Several national and regional lab networks have searchable directories:
- Quest Diagnostics – Use their Quest Diagnostics Locator to find independent CLIA‑certified labs by ZIP code locations.questdiagnostics.com.
- Labcorp – Search their Labcorp Patient Service Center locator to find independent Labcorp‑branded labs Labcorp.
- Walk‑In Lab – Offers a LabCorp/Quest locator to find independent walk‑in labs in your area Walk-In Lab
Use Accreditation and Quality Radiology Search Tools
- The American College of Radiology (ACR) Accredited Facility Search lets you filter by location, modality (MRI, CT, ultrasound, mammography, etc.), and accreditation status. This ensures the facility meets national quality and safety standards American College of Radiology.
- Look for the ACR Comprehensive Breast Imaging Center or Diagnostic Imaging Center of Excellence seals if those services are important to you.
Before scheduling a non-emergency procedure, ask your physician whether it can be safely performed at an independent outpatient surgery center rather than at a hospital. Also, compare prices, request a written estimate of all charges, make sure they are in your insurance network and verify that the facility and healthcare professionals are appropriately licensed and accredited. In addition, most centers will have a cash price available.
Choosing a lower-cost setting for appropriate care can significantly reduce your healthcare expenses without compromising quality.