This summer my infant son got admitted to two hospitals, first for an infection and then for shortness of breath. He is fine. But now I'm facing $6,233 in bills from 28 different claims--even after the insurance paid its part. I have invoices from the hospitals, private docs, testing labs, imaging centers and pharmacies. One invoice demanded 75 cents for a filter on a breathing machine. Then there are the medical records created by these visits. I have tried in vain to get the hospitals to fax them to my son's local pediatrician.

Wouldn't it be nice if all my son's bills and medical records could be zapped to websites that I control? Numerous companies are working toward online health tools that promise to help organize clinical information and pay bills. Google ( GOOG - news - people ) and Microsoft ( MSFT - news - people ) offer free online health-tracking software, and last year Intuit ( INTU - news - people ), the maker of Quicken financial software, released a bill-tracking program for health care. Here's a rundown.

### Quicken Health Expense Tracker

Knowing how much you are paying various medical providers is the first step toward reducing your health costs. Quicken's first attempt at medical bill-tracking software, introduced in 2005, required users to enter billing data manually. Last year Quicken revised the software and put it on the Web for free. The new version automatically downloads billing data from three insurers: UnitedHealthcare, Cigna ( CI - news - people ) and Medical Mutual of Ohio. Intuit hopes to sign up more.

The Expense Tracker is slick. All the claims translate into line items that tell you the hospital is charging you this much, your plan already paid this portion and here's what you owe. For most big medical practices, you can click on the charge and pay the bill. You can also filter the data by type of claim or by family member to see how much is being consumed.

VERDICT: Quicken allows you to pay a pile of bills in a few minutes--if you are covered by a participating insurer.

### Microsoft HealthVault

In 2007 Microsoft became the first big software company to create a personal health record for consumers. It's a great idea that is hobbled by the fact that most doctors don't share data with it. While Microsoft has hooked up with dozens of hospitals that, in theory, can transmit data into the Vault, none of my son's providers are connected. The site also encourages you to fax or e-mail your hospital records to an outside service that will enter the data for you. This is not a practical solution. At one hospital where my son was treated it costs $1 per page to get records faxed to a nonmedical provider.

Every page on HealthVault links to other sites with names like HealthJibe and Healthy Circles. Many require separate log-ins and are poorly explained. When I entered an elevated blood pressure reading, HealthVault provided a link to the Mayo Clinic for advice. I could have done that on my own.

VERDICT: HealthVault is a confusing jumble of information missing the key element: easy access to personal health data.

### Google Health

Google launched its answer to HealthVault in 2008, also aspiring to become a clearinghouse for health data fed by doctors and hospitals. This year Google revamped the site to focus more on personal wellness. It was a smart move.

The interface is cleaner and simpler than HealthVault's. Users can track their weight, blood pressure, sleep times and calories consumed and burned. You can use a variety of Internet-enabled devices like pedometers, scales and blood pressure cuffs to enter the data. A popular Android app called CardioTrainer can upload workout data. Another gee-whiz device Google Health supports is the $99 Fitbit, which uses motion sensors to record vital signs, sleep times and walking data.

VERDICT: It's a neat tool for tech-savvy health nuts. But it won't do much for the millions of people with serious illnesses or sick kids.