How to find a low-cost MRI

Everyone is talking about “consumer driven health care” and “price transparency”.   What does this really mean and how does this benefit you?  Recently, there have been a number of unrelated blogs written by consumers describing their experience shopping around for the best price for an MRI.  The fact that consumers are shopping around to find the best price for health care services, calling providers and facilities -is a positive statement about consumers taking more control of their own health care and making smarter decisions.   This is what consumer driven health care is all about.

To provide you with some background, an MRI is a diagnostic test that can cost consumers anywhere from $400-$3500, depending on where you go for the test, and what insurance you have (or don’t have).  There is a huge disparity in MRI prices so it definitely pays to shop around to get the best deal.  Consumers can save hundreds of dollars if they comparison shop before scheduling an appointment for their MRI because stand-alone diagnostic facilities offer more competitive prices than hospitals. 

Two years ago I began my quest for the true price for an MRI.  Since my experience,many other consumers have been blogging about their own experience and how they shopped around to find the best value.  Here are a few blog entries from consumers that I thought were worth sharing.  After reading these stories, you will have a better understanding of the problem with our current health care system and how you can be a smarter health care consumer.

The Cost of a Hospital is Difficult to Pin Down

How Much Does an MRI Cost?

An MRI from Wake Forest

Shopping for an MRI

Quest for the True Price for an MRI

The Priceless MRI

If you would like to learn about some of the price transparency tools available today, download my research here.