Procedures
Compare the costs of procedures at hospitals to those at accredited outpatient or ambulatory surgery centers, which often are significantly less.
Vermonters Pay the Most in America for Healthcare
You Have More Affordable, Quality Options to Choose From
Vermonters now spend 19.6% of their income on healthcare, compared to the national average of just 7.9%.* That’s the highest in the country — and it impacts families, neighbors, and the overall well-being of our state. Consider these comparisons of local costs:
Smart Tips to Make More Affordable Care Choices
There are practical steps each of us can take to reduce expenses without sacrificing quality of care.
Compare Your Options & Save
Medical Imaging
Compare costs at network and community hospitals and independent facilities to find the most affordable medical imaging option.
Generic Medications
Ask your provider about using generic medications in place of more costly brand name drugs.
Use Cost Comparison Resources
Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs
Help reduce your out-of-pocket expenses by using cost comparison tools. These tools can help you avoid surprise bills and plan effectively for your care.
Cost Comparison Tools
Cost comparison resources from our partners:
Choosing the Right Care Option
Urgent Care
Urgent care clinics can often provide critical services—such as imaging and lab testing—and treat a wide range of moderate conditions at lower cost and shorter wait times than emergency rooms.
Primary Care
Your primary care provider is preferable for non-emergent issues. They know your medical history, visits are usually cheaper than urgent care, and many offices can offer same- or next-day appointments.
Emergency Room
Emergency room care is reserved for serious, potentially life-threatening conditions.
Get Things in Writing
Understand Costs
For a clear picture of your medical costs, ask the facility for a written estimate beforehand. Following your service, an itemized bill can help you understand the specific charges and confirm the details of your care.
Ask Questions
Ask questions and get clarity about your care plan, medications, follow-up appointments, or home equipment. Also ask about support resources to help with care coordination.
Maximize Your Health Plan Benefits
Understand Your Benefits
If you have a health plan, it pays to understand your covered benefits in advance of a procedure or service. Review your Outline of Coverage or call your health plan’s customer service team.
Use In-Network Providers
Using in-network providers is more affordable and can help you avoid surprise expenses.
Preventive Care
Take advantage of $0 or low-cost screenings and preventive care programs.
About the Sponsoring Organizations
There are many reasons for this affordability crisis and no one entity or individual can fix the issue alone. The complexity of our challenges requires collaboration among patients, providers, insurers, and policymakers. That’s why our organizations have joined together to spur more conversation and cost transparency.
Learn more about each of these community resources to access high-quality, more affordable care options.
Northwestern Medical Center
Northwestern Medical Center: Northwestern Medical Center offers convenient access to high value care by providing safe, quality care at lower cost. NMC has the lowest outpatient and second lowest inpatient charges among Vermont hospitals. Located in St. Albans (just 13 miles north of Milton), NMC’s comprehensive range of services includes Orthopedics, General Surgery, ENT, Urology, MRI, CT, Mammography, Laboratory testing, Urgent Care, and more.
Green Mountain Surgery Center
Green Mountain Surgery Center: Green Mountain Surgery Center is the first multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center in Vermont. We strive to offer our patients impeccable, personalized service and access to convenient, high-quality, and affordable outpatient surgeries. We were recently named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Ambulatory Surgery Centers for the third consecutive year.
Vermont OPEN Imaging
Vermont OPEN Imaging: Vermont OPEN Imaging, formerly Vermont OPEN MRI, has been locally owned and operated for over 15 years and is led by subspecialty-trained radiologists. We offer high-quality Open and Closed MRI and CT imaging with affordable, transparent pricing, as well as convenient evening and weekend hours—all delivered with, exceptional compassionate care. With thousands of reviews and an average rating of 4.9 stars, we’re proud to have earned the trust of Vermont’s providers and patients.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont: As Vermont’s only local, non-profit health plan for more than 40 years, we have a simple mission: make health care work better for all Vermonters. We’re driven to help you access and receive high-quality care with greater ease. As a member, you get coverage that’s focused on your health and well-being, plus support from more than 400 local staff, award-winning customer service, access to the largest network of doctors and hospitals in Vermont, and much more.
Vermont Diagnostic Imaging
Vermont Diagnostic Imaging: Vermont Diagnostic Imaging is proud to offer a wide variety of radiology services. We’re independent and radiologist-led, providing easy and quick access to high-quality CT scans, X-rays, bone density scans (DEXA), and ultrasounds, all at significant savings. We anticipate adding mammography later in 2026. You can expect quick scheduling, an easy referral process, and prompt and convenient delivery of images and reports.
*Source: Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Kaiser Family Foundation published in a July 2025 WalletHub report.