Healthcare Cost Comparison Calculator

Where you have a procedure done often matters as much as what the procedure is. The same surgery can carry very different out-of-pocket costs depending on whether it happens at a hospital, an Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC), or an independent clinic. With healthcare costs projected to rise by 6.5% in 2026, choosing the right setting can translate into real savings, and this tool lets you line up those three facility types side by side.

Estimates here start from a national average percentage of Medicare reimbursement rates, then adjust for 2026 inflation and the markups typical of each facility type. To see how that plays out, a procedure billed at $10,000 in a hospital might come in around 70% of that figure at an ASC and roughly 50% at a clinic, which mirrors the price spreads commonly seen across settings.

Treat the numbers as a starting point and confirm the exact procedure codes (CPT) with both your provider and your insurer before scheduling. The lowest sticker price isn't the whole story either: physician expertise, facility accreditation, and whether the site sits inside your insurance network all factor in, and overlooking the network question is how patients end up with surprise out-of-network charges.