NewsABC Action News (WFTS) — Local NewsOctober 28, 2026Hillsborough County
Some Tampa Bay families drop health insurance as cash prices for routine care prove cheaper
Photo: ABC Action News (WFTS) — Local News
Some Tampa Bay residents are dropping traditional health insurance after finding that direct cash payments for routine medical services can cost less than prices billed through insurance. Local families and health experts report that self-pay options for certain blood work and imaging can yield lower out-of-pocket costs than insurance-negotiated rates.
Read the full story at ABC Action News (WFTS) — Local NewsWhy It Matters
Patients navigating health care choices face varying out-of-pocket costs where cash prices for specific procedures, such as a bilateral mammogram at Tampa General Hospital, can range from $185 self-pay to $529 with insurance.
Key Facts
- Some Tampa Bay residents are opting out of traditional health insurance in favor of paying cash directly for medical care.
- Laura Kissak reported paying a $2,000 monthly premium with a $10,000 deductible as a business owner family before switching to a $200 monthly direct-primary-care membership.
- A blood draw through a primary care office using cash options cost about $20 compared to a $400 bill from Quest after insurance.
- A price estimate test at Tampa General Hospital for a bilateral mammogram showed a self-pay estimate of $185 compared to $529 with insurance.
- Researchers at Johns Hopkins found that 47% of 2,379 surveyed hospitals across the country had cash prices that were lower than or the same as insurance-negotiated prices for 70 common shoppable services.
- Experts advise that while cash pricing can save money on routine care, unexpected emergencies carry high financial risks for uninsured individuals.
- Major hospital networks in the region, including HCA Florida Healthcare, Tampa General Hospital, BayCare, and AdventHealth, provide online price estimators for comparing cash versus insurance costs.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationHCA Florida Healthcare“Hospital group with a price estimator tool”OrganizationUSF's Morsani College of Medicine“Institution where Dr. Jay Wolfson works”OrganizationSelf Pay Tampa Bay“Facebook page created by Laura Kissak for self-pay patients”PersonLaura Kissak“South Tampa mom who dropped health insurance and created Self Pay Tampa Bay”OrganizationTampa General Hospital“Hospital whose price estimator was used to compare insurance and self-pay mammog”OrganizationAdventHealth“Hospital group with a price estimator tool”OrganizationQuest“Provider that billed $400 for a simple blood draw after insurance”OrganizationJohns Hopkins“Institution whose researchers studied prices for 70 common shoppable health care”OrganizationBayCare“Hospital group with a price estimator tool”PersonDr. Jay Wolfson“Professor at USF's Morsani College of Medicine”otherAffordable Care Act“Federal healthcare legislation cited regarding system changes”