$2,100+ savings on 2 MRIs

[Hermes]

A success story of pricing-out imaging!

I needed two MRIs, one for my back and knee:

Total for MRIs at the hospital (where my doctor is located): $3,000+ ($2,000 deductible and 90% payment after that)

Total for MRIs at a private MRI center 5 minutes farther down the road: $400

I found the private MRI center on my insurance's website, which conveniently had the prices listed for each procedure. I then called both to confirm their prices.

 

[Teacher Terry]

That’s a huge savings!!

 

[Aerides]

Yeah I usually pay around $400 for an MRI at an Imaging center.

 

[teej1985]

A success story of pricing-out imaging!

I needed two MRIs, one for my back and knee:

Total for MRIs at the hospital (where my doctor is located): $3,000+ ($2,000 deductible and 90% payment after that)

Total for MRIs at a private MRI center 5 minutes farther down the road: $400

I found the private MRI center on my insurance's website, which conveniently had the prices listed for each procedure. I then called both to confirm their prices.

How did you get the doctor to send the order to the other facility? Or is that not necessary?

 

[Hermes]

I used the doctor's online portal and asked his assistant to fax the orders to the other MRI place. No pushback at all.

 

[Kings over Queens]

a win for the patient. nice job.

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah, doctors are generally OK with sending things to your preferred imaging center. I’ve only had pushback once from a specialist to use the hospital and that was for ultrasound- not generally as expensive.

 

[donheff]

A success story of pricing-out imaging!

I needed two MRIs, one for my back and knee:

Total for MRIs at the hospital (where my doctor is located): $3,000+ ($2,000 deductible and 90% payment after that)

Total for MRIs at a private MRI center 5 minutes farther down the road: $400

I found the private MRI center on my insurance's website, which conveniently had the prices listed for each procedure. I then called both to confirm their prices.

This says more about the insanity of our health care system than the savings available to us. The deductible only matters to the extent that you would not otherwise spend it on other care over the year. Ignoring that, most of us would have popped for the covered MRI since we would pay $300 out of pocket. The fact that a company down the block can do it retail for $400 vs $3000 is astounding. Unless the private MRI retail rate was actually higher and the $400 was your out of pocket after out of network reimbursement for the rest by your insurer?

 

[aja8888]

My daughter's husband has Hydrocephalus and wears a shunt and drain tube in his head. When things get out of whack and his shunt needs an adjustment, he has to get a CAT scan of his brain so his brain doc can see the ventricles and make a flow adjustment. The hospital price is ~$2,000 (they have a huge deductible). Instead, they go to a private imaging center and have it done for $200.
.

 

[Healthy Lifestyle]

Thanks for opening my eyes on the MRI billing result.
Congratulations.

 

[flyingaway]

Who will read the images and write the summary?

 

[Hermes]

Nope, no out of network reimbursement.

This says more about the insanity of our health care system than the savings available to us. The deductible only matters to the extent that you would not otherwise spend it on other care over the year. Ignoring that, most of us would have popped for the covered MRI since we would pay $300 out of pocket. The fact that a company down the block can do it retail for $400 vs $3000 is astounding. Unless the private MRI retail rate was actually higher and the $400 was your out of pocket after out of network reimbursement for the rest by your insurer?

 

[Hermes]

That was done by the private MRI imaging center too. And then my doc reviewed the results as well (no fee)

 

[MC Rider]

This says more about the insanity of our health care system than the savings available to us. The deductible only matters to the extent that you would not otherwise spend it on other care over the year. Ignoring that, most of us would have popped for the covered MRI since we would pay $300 out of pocket. The fact that a company down the block can do it retail for $400 vs $3000 is astounding. Unless the private MRI retail rate was actually higher and the $400 was your out of pocket after out of network reimbursement for the rest by your insurer?

Yeah, the system is ridiculous and designed to rip everyone off.

 

[24601NoMore]

I do this often also. MRI cost at big hospital near us: $1,200+. MRI at private imaging center I use: $300. And that includes the "reading" of the images by a radiologist.

Really pays to shop around for healthcare services, especially when you have a big deductible (mine is "only" $7,200 this year - and I get to pay $650+/month in premiums for that nice plan. But for some strange reason, I keep getting emails from Healthcare.gov saying "3 out of 4 people can get health coverage for $10 or less a month!". Riiiiiiight).

 

[flyingaway]

I do this often also. MRI cost at big hospital near us: $1,200+. MRI at private imaging center I use: $300. And that includes the "reading" of the images by a radiologist.

Really pays to shop around for healthcare services, especially when you have a big deductible (mine is "only" $7,200 this year - and I get to pay $650+/month in premiums for that nice plan. But for some strange reason, I keep getting emails from Healthcare.gov saying "3 out of 4 people can get health coverage for $10 or less a month!". Riiiiiiight).

Does the $300 you pay at a private imaging center also count as deductible?

 

[Aerides]

Who will read the images and write the summary?

Does the $300 you pay at a private imaging center also count as deductible?

Assuming the center is in your plan, yes. They will also get the pre-auth from your insurance and then contact you to book the appt. after it's approved. They have a radiologist and doctor on site. You leave with a CD in your hand with all the images.

Your doctor will receive a full report of the scan and diagnoses of issues, as well as images, but it's helpful to bring the CD with you to your next appointment.

In my case it was great because I had two shoulder MRI's, two years apart (different issues...my luck). The MRI doc/tech analyzed the differences and changes in the old vs. the new, in addition to the standard reading.

 

[ShadowBloom]

I had one doctor who was very insistent that I use one of the MRIs that were part of his hospital because the results would automatically show up in the software where he does all his work. He very clearly would not have been happy if I went elsewhere and impacted his workflow (he is no longer my doctor, for this and other reasons).

 

[badatmath]

Is the price same at big hospital/expensive place if you ask to pay cash or is that not a thing?

 

[Aerides]

I had one doctor who was very insistent that I use one of the MRIs that were part of his hospital because the results would automatically show up in the software where he does all his work. He very clearly would not have been happy if I went elsewhere and impacted his workflow (he is no longer my doctor, for this and other reasons).

I'd have responded "You gonna pay for it then?" - and yes I'd find another doctor.