Best Healthcare Price Comparison Tools in 2026
What each healthcare price tool actually covers, who can use it, and what it costs, checked on each organization's own website on September 24, 2026: Medicare Procedure Price Lookup, FAIR Health Consumer, MDsave, GoodRx, Cost Plus Drugs, hospital price files, and more.
Written by FairVisitHealth Editorial Team · Healthcare Pricing Analysts
Reviewed by the FairVisitHealth Editorial Team (Pricing & Billing Data Review). Not medical advice. Data sourced from CMS, HRSA, and hospital price transparency filings.
Key Takeaways
- No single tool covers every price. Match the tool to whether you need a benchmark, a bookable price, or a prescription price
- Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup and hospital price transparency files are free and official
- FAIR Health Consumer is free and estimates costs for insured and uninsured people by ZIP code
- GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs cover prescriptions only; Cost Plus publishes a 15% markup plus a $5 pharmacy fee
- Healthcare Bluebook now redirects to Valenz Health and is offered through plans and employers
Updated September 24, 2026. Each tool's description was checked on its own website on that date. Disclosure: FairVisitHealth publishes this list and is one of the tools on it.
Healthcare prices are spread across government files, insurance claims databases, and marketplaces that sell procedures at a fixed price. Each tool below sees a different slice. The right one depends on whether you need a benchmark, a bookable price, or a prescription price.
Comparison table
| Tool | What it covers | Data source (per the tool) | Cost to use | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Procedure Price Lookup | Outpatient procedures by CPT code | Medicare 2026 payments and copayments, national averages | Free | Comparing ambulatory surgical centers vs. hospital outpatient departments |
| Hospital price transparency files | Every item and service at a given hospital | Hospital-published machine-readable files required by 45 CFR Part 180 | Free | Finding one hospital's discounted cash price |
| FAIR Health Consumer | Medical and dental procedure cost estimates by ZIP code | Tens of billions of commercial and Medicare claim records, updated twice a year | Free | A local benchmark, including estimates for uninsured patients |
| MDsave | Prepaid bundled procedures at participating providers | Prices set by providers in its network | Free to browse, no membership fee; you pay the listed price | Buying a specific procedure upfront |
| GoodRx | Prescription discount prices at pharmacies; paid membership adds dental, vision, lab, and imaging discounts | Pharmacy discount pricing | Free coupons; GoodRx Companion membership from $9.99/month paid yearly | Prescriptions at a retail pharmacy |
| Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company | Hundreds of common medications, delivered | Manufacturer cost + 15% markup + $5 pharmacy labor fee, plus shipping | Free to browse; prescription required | Medications at a published markup |
| FairVisitHealth | Provider and hospital prices, drug prices, bill tools | Insurer Transparency in Coverage files, hospital machine-readable files, the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, Medicaid fee schedules, NADAC drug costs | $29/month membership (FairPass) | Comparing providers in one area and preparing to negotiate a bill |
Tools that changed
- Healthcare Bluebook now redirects to Valenz Health, which offers "Valenz Bluebook" to health plans, employers, and their members. If your employer or plan offers it, it can be useful; it is not a public self-pay lookup.
- Sidecar Health describes itself as ACA-compliant, employer-sponsored major medical coverage without networks. It is insurance, not a price comparison tool.
How to choose a price tool
- Need a benchmark for a scheduled outpatient procedure? Start with Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup to see how much the setting changes the price, then check FAIR Health Consumer for your ZIP code.
- Want one hospital's actual cash price? Open that hospital's price transparency file. Look for the footer link labeled "Price Transparency" on its website.
- Ready to buy a procedure at a fixed price? Check whether a nearby provider lists it on MDsave. Read what the bundle includes before you pay.
- Filling a prescription? Compare a GoodRx price at your local pharmacy with the Cost Plus Drugs price for the same generic, including shipping.
- Comparing many providers or fighting a bill? Use a tool that has already parsed the public files. FairVisitHealth's methodology page lists its sources and refresh schedule.
- Whatever tool you use, get it in writing. Uninsured and self-pay patients can request a Good Faith Estimate for care scheduled at least 3 business days ahead.
Limits that apply to every tool
- A benchmark (Medicare averages, claims-based estimates) is not a price anyone has agreed to charge you.
- A hospital file price is often the facility fee only; physicians may bill separately.
- Prescription discount prices change and vary by pharmacy.
Sources
- Medicare.gov, Procedure Price Lookup. Checked September 24, 2026.
- CMS, Hospital Price Transparency, and eCFR, 45 CFR Part 180. Checked September 24, 2026.
- FAIR Health Consumer, fairhealthconsumer.org. Checked September 24, 2026.
- MDsave, mdsave.com. Checked September 24, 2026.
- GoodRx, How GoodRx works and GoodRx Companion membership. Checked September 24, 2026.
- Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company, costplusdrugs.com (pricing breakdown on the home page). Checked September 24, 2026.
- Valenz Health, valenzhealth.com (destination of healthcarebluebook.com). Checked September 24, 2026.
- Sidecar Health, sidecarhealth.com. Checked September 24, 2026.
- FairVisitHealth, Data and methodology.
Related Cost Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free healthcare price comparison tool?
For a benchmark, Medicare's Procedure Price Lookup is free and shows national average costs for outpatient procedures in surgical centers and hospital outpatient departments. FAIR Health Consumer is also free and estimates costs by ZIP code, including for uninsured people. For one hospital's actual cash price, use that hospital's price transparency file.
Are healthcare price comparison tools accurate?
They measure different things. Medicare figures are what Medicare pays, claims-based tools estimate typical charges or payments, and hospital files list the hospital's own published prices. None is a guarantee, so confirm the price with the provider and ask for a Good Faith Estimate before scheduled care.
How does Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company set prices?
Its website says each price is the manufacturer cost plus a 15% markup and a $5 pharmacy labor fee, with shipping added at checkout. You need a prescription from a U.S.-based provider.
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