Peter McIntire recently launched SelfPayMRI.com, an online portal
that helps consumers discover and schedule affordable imaging and diagnostic
testing. He published a list of top-ten
tips to help consumers save money on their medical care. Link to his full blog post.
Peter’s top ten
list of tips to help consumers save money their medical care.
1. Hospital
owned providers and facilities have less flexibility in providing big discounts
to self-pay patients.
2. In
most markets, there is an oversupply of ancillary providers (imaging, labs,
home health, medical equipment, etc.) Use this fact when negotiating.
3. The
more flexible you are for the appointment date and time, the better deal you
will get. Don’t ask for a Monday AM or Friday AM appointment, these are
their busy times.
4. Always
state you will pay 100% at time of service and most importantly do! This
alone cuts 3% -8% off of a provider’s cost to perform services.
5. Facilities
that rely on doctor referrals like to “take care” of their mutual self pay
patients. Telling a facility what doctor you have the order from may help
you with your final price.
6. Know
your pricing reference points – see
this post.
7. If
you need a procedure that is done by a doctor in a setting other than the
doctor’s office, ask your doctor for the most affordable site location.
In general, a procedure done in an outpatient surgery center is less than
if done in the hospital setting.
8. Plan
ahead and do your due diligence for those medical services that are
non-emergency. Don’t wait until the last minute to price your service.
9. If
you don’t feel a bit embarrassed about your offer, you are probably
not asking for a low enough deal!
10. Above all is quality!
Concentrate on the quality providers with national accreditation, board
certifications, and appropriate fellowships. For example, the
lowest price MRI listed on SelfPayMRI.com might not be the best for your
situation – review accreditation, doctor bios, and their websites.