Inova Fairfax Hospital

Inova Fairfax Hospital's gross charges run about double what you'd pay if you called and negotiated a cash price — that's fairly standard across hospitals, but it means the gap between your insurance bill and out-of-pocket costs could be significant depending on your deductible and plan type. The hospital has a 5-star rating and patient satisfaction in the mid-70s, with mortality and readmission rates matching national averages, so you're not trading quality for price if you choose here.

Before you schedule, call the billing department and ask for the cash price for your specific procedure — the average here is around $750, but yours could be much higher or lower. Ask whether they have financial assistance programs even if you have insurance, since those aren't always advertised. If you haven't met your deductible yet this year, getting the cash price now will help you decide whether to pay out-of-pocket or wait until your insurance kicks in harder.