My experience is that few physicians have any idea what various procedures cost, especially in a hospital setting. Advance cost information is very difficult to obtain, and often there isn't time to obtain it.

I'd like to see at least the protocol used in automobile repairs. You get an estimate and approve it. If the estimate turns out to be incorrect, you have the option of deciding on another course of treatment. This scenario can't work in many situations, such as surgery, but knowing some costs up front would help everyone make better decisions.

If adherence to estimates can't be made to work, I'd like to see limits on how long after a procedure you can be billed. At present, it's not at all unusual to get a bill months after a procedure from a completely unexpected source. There's usually no way to determine whether the amount billed is correct.