Health care is the only major sector of our economy where consumers typically do not make decisions based on comparison shopping, says a study from the National Center for Policy Awareness.
Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) August 05, 2013
A little over one year after launching its one-of-a-kind healthcare discount site, DealWell.com has had more than 85,000 visits as consumers are getting savvy about personal healthcare spending and working to take control of their budgets. DealWell lets customers view and compare prices for health and wellness services, bid for deals and read reviews.
The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) recently released a study that finds, "Every day, millions of American consumers go shopping. In the process, they compare the prices and quality of goods and services ranging from groceries to cellular telephone service to fast food to housing. But that daily ritual changes when it comes to comparing prices for medical care. Health care is the only major sector of our economy where consumers typically do not make decisions based on comparison shopping."
DealWell is the first site devoted singularly to changing that. With more than 900 offers from 200 top North Texas health and wellness providers, DealWell helps Dallas-Fort Worth residents save time and money when shopping for services commonly used with heath savings accounts or family saving accounts, including dental cleanings and braces, eye exams and even MRIs and CT Scans. DealWell also has offers on wellness, beauty and pampering services that even the best insurance doesn’t cover such as teeth whitening, massage, spa packages and med spa services for things like facial and skin treatments, Botox and laser hair removal.
The NCPA’s study found that for healthcare services where consumers typically haven’t had the tools to compare prices and shop for a better deal, patient out-of-pocket costs increased an average of 118 percent. During the same period, the cost of cosmetic surgery – usually paid directly by the consumer, and thus more regularly subject to market forces like price transparency and price competition – has only gone up 30 percent.
DealWell has strongly positioned itself to help encourage consumers to take control of their own healthcare spending. DealWell empowers consumers with information and choices by allowing them to compare prices and deals with just a few clicks, 24/7/365. Every offer on DealWell has a ‘Buy Now’ price, and the ability to bid for even more savings. The bid feature brings the market forces of supply and demand into play, allowing providers to lower prices during slow periods – and allowing savvy consumers to benefit.
"[DealWell] has the daily deal site set up, but with a twist," says Xtreme Qpon blogger, Angela Christopher. "The neatest part is that you get to bid for your price…there is no charge for bidding. You search by your ZIP Code, find a deal you want in their categories and there is a price set. If you don’t like that price…bid for a lower one. You will get an immediate answer if your bid was accepted."
"There are a hundred things broken with the healthcare system in America," says DealWell President and Co-Founder Geoffrey Fischer. "We saw this huge gap and started DealWell to bring a private-sector solution to one of these areas of a critical public-sector crisis. And we’ve been thrilled with how quickly both consumers and providers have embraced our approach."
About DealWell.com
The first website that allows consumers to compare, bid and save on health and wellness services, DealWell has more than 900 offers from 200 providers across the Metroplex, in nine major categories: chiropractic, cosmetic surgery, dental, eye exams and LASIK, hormone therapy, massage, medical imaging, medical spa and day spa, and weight loss management. DealWell negotiates discounts of at least 20 percent off retail price, and every offer has a “Buy Now” price and the ability to bid for even more savings. Unlike "daily deals" sites, offers on DealWell are available 24/7/365, and for every service consumers have a broad choice of providers. Purchases made on DealWell may be eligible for reimbursement from FSA/HSA plans or applicable to insurance deductibles, if the service is covered by the plan. Consumers are urged to check with their plan administrators for details.
For more information, go to http://www.DealWell.com. Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.
Providers interested in featuring their services on DealWell may click here.
Consumers who are interested in DealWell’s weekly email may sign up by visiting http://www.DealWell.com.
For more information, contact Karen Carrera, TrizCom, at karen(at)trizcom(dot)com, 972.207.1935 or on Twitter, @kjcarrera