This year, grocery store chain Kroger flew nearly 24 workers to Hoag Orthopedic Institute in Irvine, Calif., for surgery in an effort to save money. Wal-Mart Stores will also hop on the bandwagon, offering employees and dependents heart, spine and transplant surgeries at no cost if they choose six major hospital systems across the nation, starting in January.
Federal and state officials may also be joining the trend. Medicare and Medicaid programs are encouraging beneficiaries to choose all-inclusive prices for the most common procedures, rewarding high-quality providers with more patients.
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