How Much Is . . .?

As much as many consumers hate shopping for cars, that’s nothing compared with trying to get an estimate on the cost of a medical procedure or a routine visit to the doctor.

One consumer health-care survey found that the typical consumer could predict the price of a Honda Accord to within $1,000, but was off by about $12,000 in estimating the average cost of a four-day hospital stay. People guessed an average of $7,762 when the cost was $20,000.

When you don't directly pay for services, but rather allow a third party to be billed, most people have no clue what the actual cost will be.