Prices for tests and procedures in healthcare are literally all over the map, as told so wonderfully by Time in their groundbreaking article, The Bitter Pill. For example, if you get a brain MRI at one institution versus another, this may be the difference between you paying $500 vs. $2500 out of your deductible. That’s the difference between you going on vacation to Rio, buying that new MacBook Pro, or doing whatever your little heart desires with a cool extra $2,000 in your pocket. The obvious next question is, “Well I can only assume that if I get the test done at the $2500 place, it’s going to be $2,000 worth of higher quality and value, right?” Wrong. Healthcare costs are in no way correlated with quality and value. The same goes for procedures too. If you need an inguinal hernia repair, you’re going to quickly blow through your $10,000 deductible if you get it at one institution vs. another. But what if you can negotiate with a general surgeon for a better price? Instead of spending $10,000 of your deductible in a hospital center, you could spend $4,000 to have the procedure done in a beautiful outpatient surgical center. Now that’s $6,000 of real money you just saved.

That’s why I’m ridiculously happy to announce that Sherpaa just released a new feature in our app to help you save a potentially ridiculous amount of money when you need an expensive test or procedure. You can now tell us your story and what you need, and our doctors and insurance guides will collaborate and find you the highest quality place to get these at the best price.

I’m so damn proud of this. A resource that can save you literally thousands of dollars can make a huge difference in your life. So if you’re a Sherpaa client, give it a try and instead of throwing money blindly at an opaque, unfair system, go on that much needed vacation. You deserve it.