Surgery Center of Oklahoma co-founder Dr. Keith Smith testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging during a hearing on “Modernizing Health Care: How Shoppable Services Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs.”
We’re proud to see Dr. Smith represent the mission that has guided Surgery Center of Oklahoma since 1997: bringing honesty, transparency, and patient-first values to the healthcare industry. He shared how our physician-led, transparent pricing model provides exceptional surgical care at a fraction of traditional hospital costs, often as low as one-tenth the price.
Dr. Smith’s testimony underscored how true, upfront pricing not only saves patients tens of thousands of dollars but also raises the standard of care through competition and accountability.
We’re honored to lead the national conversation on medical price transparency and its power to reshape healthcare for the better.
See What Transparent Surgical Pricing Looks Like
At the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, price transparency isn’t a talking point – it’s our foundation. Every procedure we perform has a clear, all-inclusive price that covers the surgeon, anesthesia, and facility. No hidden fees. No surprise bills.
Summary of the Video
Introduction of Dr. Keith Smith 00:00:03
Dr. Keith Smith was introduced as the co-founder of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and the Free Market Medical Association. He was described as a nationally recognized leader in healthcare transparency and free market reform who established the Surgery Center of Oklahoma more than 25 years ago. The center was highlighted as the first facility in the nation to post all-inclusive upfront prices for surgical procedures, delivering care at a fraction of traditional hospital costs while maintaining exceptional outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Dr. Smith’s Testimony on the Surgery Center of Oklahoma 00:01:06
Dr. Smith explained that the Surgery Center of Oklahoma was founded in May 1997 to gain control over patient medical and financial treatment. He described how even minor surgical procedures at large hospitals could lead to bankruptcy for patients, including those with insurance. Dr. Smith criticized large hospitals for denying physicians appropriate tools while increasing profits, and explained how his center’s model is based on mutually beneficial exchange, offering significant savings to patients.
Pricing Model and Market Impact 00:02:03
Dr. Smith detailed their pricing approach, explaining that they were excluded from insurance networks from the start, which led them to quote all-inclusive prices combining fair fees for surgeons and anesthesia with facility charges. He emphasized that their prices are typically less than patients’ in-network deductibles and co-pays, with total charges only 1/6th to 1/10th of what nearby hospital systems charge. He provided an example of a tonsillectomy performed for $3,875 compared to a $72,000 quote from a Dallas hospital.
Website Launch and Patient Response 00:03:12
Dr. Smith described launching the first website displaying all-inclusive surgical prices in 2009 with three goals: helping patients find them, starting a price war to benefit patients in other markets, and understanding why healthcare lacked normal market disciplines. He noted that Canadians were the first to respond, seeking to avoid long wait times, followed by uninsured Americans, beneficiaries of self-funded health plans, and members of cost-sharing ministries, with approximately half their patients traveling from out of state or internationally.
Market Transformation and Expanded Mission 00:04:09
Dr. Smith reported that their model’s success has led other facilities and even large hospitals to copy their approach, creating price competition and a deflationary effect. He explained that their model also increases quality of care as physicians with unpredictable outcomes avoid this transparent environment. Dr. Smith concluded by describing his expanded mission through Atlas Billing Company and the Free Market Medical Association, which now has 37 state chapters, while characterizing the mainstream healthcare system as designed to enrich corporate elites at patients’ expense.