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Two years ago, Margaret O’Neill brought her 5-year-old daughter to Children’s Hospital Colorado because the band of tissue that connected her tongue to the floor of her mouth was too tight. ... During a pre-operative visit, the surgeon offered to throw in a surprising perk. Should we pierce her ears while she’s under?O’Neill’s first thought was that her daughter seemed a bit young to have her ears pierced. Her second: Why was a surgeon offering to do this? ... Only months later did O’Neill discover her cost for this extracurricular work: $1,877.86 for “operating room services” related to the ear piercing — a fee her insurer was unwilling to pay. (Allen, 11/28)

Experts in reducing charges for medical services say patients need to push for detailed answers up front about the true costs of their care. (Allen, 11/28)

Backers of the value movement believe the entire medical system — and every transaction within it — must be based on this seminally important five-letter word. But a survey released Wednesday by the University of Utah shows that, in health care, value has no universal meaning — 88 percent of doctors equated value with quality care, while patients and employers provided a more nuanced definition, mixing in measures of cost, customer service, and worker productivity. (Ross, 11/29)