Xiaoxi Zhao, PhD

Aligning patient and insurer incentives through price transparency, lower out-of-pocket costs, and broader networks could boost ASC use and access.

Patients save most on outpatient surgeries at in-network sites, so Xiaoxi Zhao, PhD, emphasizes that transparency could help them make better cost choices.

In-network ambulatory surgery centers are cheapest, while out-of-network hospital outpatient departments nearly double costs, says Xiaoxi Zhao, PhD.

This article examines how prices, insurer payments, and patient payments for outpatient surgeries differ by site of care and network status.