Posted: 7/11/2012 5:07:32 PM EDT
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I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch.
The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. 
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If you pay for it out of pocket and it turns out that something serious turns up, you will still burn through that 2k deductible on top of the ~$700.
If you go through insurance and nothing is wrong in the end, you just overspent 1100 dollars. Depending on the situation, you may want to go through insurance. Best of luck to you. |
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has a similar thing happen to me a few months back
dr said I need an MRI and set up with a local office for $1400 have a $2500 deductable and far from it so it was on me I called around and got it done for $400 same MRI $1000 less didnt go through my insurance but the $400 still went towards my deductable |
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If you pay for it out of pocket and it turns out that something serious turns up, you will still burn through that 2k deductible on top of the ~$700. If you go through insurance and nothing is wrong in the end, you just overspent 1100 dollars. Depending on the situation, you may want to go through insurance. Best of luck to you. Yup. That's exactly the boat that I'm in. Thanks. |
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Cant you pay them the cash option, then file everything with your ins? That way it still goes against your deductible? That was exactly my thinking but I called the insurance company and they said it wouldn't work that way. Basically, my claim would be denied coverage because I didn't go through them. |
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has a similar thing happen to me a few months back dr said I need an MRI and set up with a local office for $1400 have a $2500 deductable and far from it so it was on me I called around and got it done for $400 same MRI $1000 less didnt go through my insurance but the $400 still went towards my deductable That's interesting. So you filed a claim with your insurance company afterwards I assume? Mine said that wouldn't work. |
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has a similar thing happen to me a few months back dr said I need an MRI and set up with a local office for $1400 have a $2500 deductable and far from it so it was on me I called around and got it done for $400 same MRI $1000 less didnt go through my insurance but the $400 still went towards my deductable That's interesting. So you filed a claim with your insurance company afterwards I assume? Mine said that wouldn't work. Sounds like there is some actual competition going on. Call around and see who will accept both the referral and the insurance and wants less up front. Or go and ask the current place if they will only charge you the cash price. |
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 My wife paid $250 for her MRI recently. You TX folk pay out the nose.  I guess we do.
It's an MRI of the pituitary gland which requires "with and without contrast" which apparently requires more work or something. They did say it includes the radiologist's report which some don't include. I do plan to shop around but am not sure I want to get my MRI from "Billy Bob's Discount MRI's and Oil Changes". |
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I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch. The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. Fuck itpay cash. We all know the business is BULLSHIT. Take advantage. |
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I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch. The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. The MRI place will probably bill your insurance $1800 and get $700ish with their 'negotiated discount'. Even if you don't meet your deductible, you're still only responsible for the $700ish (probably not too far off the cash price) that the insurance would pay if you had met your deductible. AFARR |
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Quoted: I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch. The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. Are you sure? I thought it was the other way around. Gouge the cash customer; insurance gets the cheaper rate. They might bill UHC $1800, but their pre-aranged contracted rate is much less. You'd pay 100% of the negotiated rate until you reach your deductible. |
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I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch. The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. Look at the bright side. In a few years you'll be able to just get it all for free...after 2 years on a waiting list. |
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I need an MRI with and without contrast. My insurance deductible is $2000 which I usually don't touch. The cost is $1800 if I go through my insurance. The cost is $678 if I pay cash without going through my insurance. Look at the bright side. In a few years you'll be able to just get it all for free...after 2 years on a waiting list. But you'll have a painkiller script! Think of the secondary market possibilities. Might make enough to make it to the fantastic private clinics in... oh wait.
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Quoted: They charge $1800 because they know the insurance will say "Here's $500, take it, shut the fuck up and enjoy it" +1 got a $1200 bill once I called up the hospital and told them I had insurance and gave them my card at the time of treatment they said OK we'll take care of it , few months later I saw it in my quarterly statement of benefits insurance paid um $238 |
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This is why when I read threads about doctors claiming to close up shop I could give two shits. Its largely a static competition industry, if people shopped around regularly and the system wasn't so reliant on insurance, maybe I'd have some sympathy. Our problem isn't the competition...it's the Gooberment. Medicare is the Two Ton (used to be 800 lbs, but with Obamacare it's going to gain weight....) Gorilla in the business. Government says "This is what we'll pay....We get the best rates automatically...if you give ANYONE else better rates, it's Fraud and we'll prosecute you". Then they can cut what they pay (did you know they are STILL scheduled to cut what they pay Doctors and Hospitals by 30%? "We can't afford to grow that fast...so suck it up and take the 30% reimbursement cut") and the Doctors are stuck with it. Yes, you can opt out of Medicare...but that's almost financial suicide for most Doctors as more and more of their potential patients will be getting it. And ALL insurances base their reimbursement somehow off Medicare (either start their negotiations based on Medicare rates or a flat percentage...). So a Doctor's office (or testing facility, etc.) sets a high "Suggested Retail Price" on the test/procedure, etc. You have some type of insurance....you get the rate the insurance company negotiated or is willing to pay (Medicare). Doesn't matter what the Suggested Retail Price is. If we could compete (free market), the prices would come down.....and as has been mentioned repeatedly....if people didn't rely on the insurance to cover things that should be out of pocket (i.e...only use it for catastrophic events) prices would come down...get the Government more out of the business...even further. So, don't blame the Doctors...we've been Fucked for years. With Obamacare the general population taxpayers are going to be just as Fucked. The only people who will make out are the Free Shit Army. AFARR |
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Cant you pay them the cash option, then file everything with your ins? That way it still goes against your deductible? That was exactly my thinking but I called the insurance company and they said it wouldn't work that way. Basically, my claim would be denied coverage because I didn't go through them. as long as the provider is in their "local" network, you should be able to do it |