Treating a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the knee can cost anywhere from $11,001 to $27,489 in the Milwaukee area. For carpal tunnel surgery, the cost can range from $4,003 to $8,936. For lower-back surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae, the range is $69,259 to $109,432.

Those well-documented variations, spelled out on guroo.com, can also be seen throughout the country. They are just a sampling of one of the most glaring examples of the inefficiencies in the U.S. health-care market.

Once people have reached their deductibles, they have little incentive to seek out doctors and hospitals that provide quality care at the lowest cost.

Access HealthNet, a Milwaukee startup founded in 2014, has developed a service to counter those flaws and potentially save employers as well as employees thousands of dollars from a single episode of care. Read the full story here.