Price transparency - the ability to provide patients with clear information about the cost of services - is non-existent within the traditional U.S. healthcare system.
Instead, patients (whether they’re insured, under-insured or uninsured) are often saddled with marked-up hospital fees, administrative costs and convoluted bills, leading nearly 40% of Americans to delay or forgo medical care due to high costs.
That's why Sesame publishes the U.S. Health Care Price Index (USHPI) - the first-ever national resource to publicly document the price of cash-pay medical care in America.
It features real pricing data for routine medical services in all 50 states – from primary care and mental health to women’s health and more - with additional prices and specialties to be added over time. In addition to regional and state comparisons, the USHPI tracks price variance and market trends on a monthly basis. Just like price databases for commodities like gasoline, air travel and insurance, consumers can view the most recent cash prices for COVID screening visits, primary care and other medical prices in any state or region.
Here's what cash-pay prices looked like in October 2024:
In October, the average cash price of a primary care telehealth appointment in the United States, with a doctor or nurse practitioner, was $54.09. New Mexico was the most affordable state in which to book a visit ($49.43), and Alaska was the most expensive ($110.00). All regions of the country paid below average for primary care appointments.
Mental health visits in October averaged $63.15 across the country. The most affordable mental health consult that month was found in Utah ($48.80). The states paying the highest were Mississippi and Arkansas ($110.00).
Americans who paid cash for a prescription refill appointment paid an average of $54.17 in October. Patients in Maine ($49.06) and Delaware($49.00) paid the least for an appointment. Highest prices were found in Hawaii ($69.13) and Mississippi ($65.05).
Interested in checking out the full dataset? Fill out the form below to request access.
