OkCopay
Can you imagine NOT knowing the price of your car, airline tickets, or groceries until AFTER you have purchased it? While this is absurd in most settings, it is considered perfectly reasonable in the health care industry. Now, through our comparison engine, you can quickly and easily know your potential costs BEFORE receiving treatment
OkCopay is a ground breaking comparison search engine for medical care. With OkCopay you simply search for the procedure you need, compare local providers, and view their actual prices. We aim to take the mystery out of health care pricing.
We have created the country's first open comparison engine for medical care. You will finally be able to “shop” for health care, on the basis of PRICE, convenience, and physician credentials. For Metro Chicago, we currently cover over 70 procedures and pricing details for over 3000 providers.
Our Comparison engine that covers actual provider prices for the following categories:
Dentistry
Vision Exams
LASIK
Lab Tests
Diagnostic Imaging (X-rays, MRI's, CT Scans)
Dermatology
Acupuncture
Cosmetic SurgeryFertility Centers
Free/Low Income Clinics
We also recognize that you should not choose a doctor solely on cost. That is why our search tools allow you to also view and compare other factors including:
- Proximity
- Business Hours
- Years of Experience
- Board Certifications
- Accredidations (For X-rays, MRI's, CT Scans)
- Gender
Website is currently in Private Beta test. It will be open to the public on October 6, 2011. You can access the site at:
1 in 5 Chicago residents are without health insuarance (2009 US Census). For those who are fortunate enough to have medical coverage, rising out-of-pocket costs is putting added financial burdens on already stretched budgets. As a result, many people either skimp or go without medical care. This not only produces bad health outcomes, it raises the future costs for everyone involved.
Our powerful database contains provider-level prices (and other details) for over 70 medical procedures. Most of those procedures are preventative in nature (routine exams, vaccines, lab tests, imaging, etc) which help diagnose problems before they become major health concerns.
Chicago also has a high number of free and low-income clinics serving the low-income and uninsured population. These community clinics have become an increasingly important resource for public health in metro Chicago. However, these clinics are independently operated by a patchwork of different organizations. As a result, there is not a single online source where a patient can go to quickly and easily find information about all of these clincs and health centers. Our platform contains detailed information on the various clinics operated by: Chicago Dept. of Health, the Cook County Ambulatory and Community Health Network (ACHN), Federally-funded health centers, and private not-for-profit clinics. Users can now search our comprehensive database by medical need and quickly identify all-available clinics.
2 Use Cases
Deborah, 34 years old, Accountant at Manufacturing Company
Deborah pays $300 per month in premiums for herself, husband and 2 kids in her employer-sponsored insurance plan. Her plan has a $5000 family deductible. Her doctor recommended she have an MRI to closer examine a painful cyst in her neck. A local hospital, told her it would cost $4100 for the test. "Deborah, whose household income totaled about $35,000 per year, chose to skip the test."
An independent and accredited facility a few miles away, performs the same procedure for $430.
In October 2011, Deborah will be able to easily search the OkCopay database and receive the care she needs at an affordable price.
Michael, 45 years old, Unemployed
Michael has been out of work for 14 months. His COBRA has run out and he cannot afford an individual policy. Battling diabetes and rising cholesterol. He knew it was time for another reading and checkup.
His doctor informed him that the cost of the Office visit and blood panel was $450. He decided to skip it.
There is a free clinic less than a mile from his apartment where he could have seen a doctor at no cost.
Using OkCopay, Michael will be able to quickly find a convenient free clinic so that he can maintain his treatment of chronic disease.
Residents of Chicago are in need of affordable health care. Due to cost or simply not knowing where to go, many go without recommended care. This lack of care leads to declining health, wasted resources, and higher future costs (for all of us). OkCopay hopes to be a trusted resource all Chicagoans can use to find the medical care they need.
