How to Calculate the Cost of Medical Procedures

Medical procedures can range from examining a sick child for a certain disease to performing a knee replacement in the operating room. Each procedure costs a certain amount of money and some cost much higher than others. There are many hidden costs that go into performing a medical procedure that many people are often unaware of.

Instructions

• 1

  Determine the frequency of the procedure being completed. If it is something that is performed on a daily basis, it probably won't cost as much as something done on a monthly basis. This is because the procedures that are performed on a daily basis usually don't take up as much time as something completed less frequently.

• 2

  Figure out how much time it takes for the procedure to be performed. The longer the procedure is, the more costly it will be due to the fact that more labor is involved. If it is a quick, 15-minute check-up, it won't cost as much because less labor is involved.

• 3

  Determine what equipment is involved with the process. If a thermometer and some gloves are the only thing needed, it shouldn't cost a very high amount. If surgical equipment is needed, it will cost much more. Procedures that require equipment to be permanently affixed to the patient's body, like placing a crown on someone's tooth, cost more because there is more equipment needed.

• 4

  Research how many people will be needed to complete the procedure. According to necksurgery.com, there are usually about eight people in the operating room during surgery. This would cause a surgery to cost more money because the facility has to pay more people to help out. In a routine check-up or a dental procedure, not as many people must be present, which lowers the cost.

• 5

  Ask your insurance how much of the specific medical procedure they will be paying for. Insurance companies vary the amount of money they pay toward certain procedures. Find out how much your insurance company will pay and subtract that from the total cost of the procedure to determine how much of the procedure you will be responsible for paying.