Imagine being at a car dealership, finally ready to buy that little red sportscar you’ve been eyeing for years.

Imagine asking, “How much?”

And imagine hearing, “I can’t tell you.” Or, even worse, “It depends.”

Ridiculous? Absolutely. But it happens in health care every day – at pharmacies and clinics, in hospitals and imaging centers.

When I’ve shared my own stories of hospital websites’ cost estimates gone haywire, or playing “Pharmacy Roulette” each month to find the best drug prices on Good Rx, Optum, and other saving apps, others’ tales fly fast and furious. One friend now pays cash after learning her medications were three times more expensive with insurance (see also …