Ever opened a letter from a doctor to discover an unexpectedly, eye-poppingly enormous bill? Well, one New York startup wants to make sure that never happens again, by providing a platform that allows the average medical consumer to compare prices.

It’s a concept that ought to appeal to anyone in a position to be cost conscious–whether uninsured, out of network, stuck with a high deductible plan, or just plain offended by overpaying.

Betabeat first encountered Clear Health Costs at the Women’s Demo Night organized by New York Tech Meetup last month. In advance of the company’s debut on the mainstage at tonight’s meetup, Betabeat asked founder and CEO Jeanne Pinder to tell us a little more.

Appropriately, it all began with a dire case of sticker shock. “I got a bill once from a hospital that included a charge for $1,419 for a drug that I found I could buy online for $2.47,” she told Betabeat. Read More