5 ms·

I'd like to know where the patient with the $870 MRI bill was seen. My last MRI was billed at over $7500. Before I started treatment for my brain tumor I got di

I'd like to know where the patient with the $870 MRI bill was seen. My last MRI was billed at over $7500. Before I started treatment for my brain tumor I got divorced for purely financial reasons and gave all my remaining money to my children. USA is so fucked.

Marsymars 8y ago
We've got private MRI clinics in Canada, and Googling prices for my city gives a number of clinics with prices in the 700 CAD range.
nradov 8y ago
For non-emergency imaging studies it's worth shopping around. Prices really can vary by a factor of 10× between facilities in the same area. For those with private insurance, most major insurance companies offer some sort of cost estimator on their web sites which allow members to see which radiology centers are cheaper. (I do appreciate that this is a bad experience for patients.)
- rarecoil 8y ago
  I needed an MRI a few years ago, and my insurance provider actually called me to tell me about insurance-preferred imaging centers, and how much the out-of-pocket cost would be at those centers vs. the one my MRI was initially scheduled at.
  - nradov 8y ago
    Yes some payers will check the stream of incoming X12 278 Prior Authorization messages for expensive procedures and then attempt to steer members toward lower cost options. This helps to hold down costs for the healthcare system as a whole.
madengr 8y ago
Other than cash, how do you give money over $15k without being nailed by the gift tax? Keeping as much money in retirement savings seems wise as those are exempt from liens.
- bluesroo 8y ago
  On top of the yearly exemption, you have a lifetime exemption in the US of $11.18M.
  - CurrentlyYouDo 8y ago
    Currently you do. At a recent visit to my estate planning attorney he said it's likely that will be cut in half in the next few years. I don't recall whether it was because there's a time limit on that particular part of the law that's going to run out, or because it was likely the ruling parties would switch and they would vote it back down. But either way just remember that it can change in either direction at just about any time.
- ThrustVectoring 8y ago
  IRAs are not exempt from creditors in all states, FYI. Texas has solid unlimited protection at least, though.
01100011 8y ago
Some of the cost difference is likely due to different procedures and materials(i.e. contrast agents).

Marsymars 8y ago

We've got private MRI clinics in Canada, and Googling prices for my city gives a number of clinics with prices in the 700 CAD range.

nradov 8y ago

For non-emergency imaging studies it's worth shopping around. Prices really can vary by a factor of 10× between facilities in the same area. For those with private insurance, most major insurance companies offer some sort of cost estimator on their web sites which allow members to see which radiology centers are cheaper. (I do appreciate that this is a bad experience for patients.)

rarecoil 8y ago
I needed an MRI a few years ago, and my insurance provider actually called me to tell me about insurance-preferred imaging centers, and how much the out-of-pocket cost would be at those centers vs. the one my MRI was initially scheduled at.
- nradov 8y ago
  Yes some payers will check the stream of incoming X12 278 Prior Authorization messages for expensive procedures and then attempt to steer members toward lower cost options. This helps to hold down costs for the healthcare system as a whole.

madengr 8y ago

Other than cash, how do you give money over $15k without being nailed by the gift tax? Keeping as much money in retirement savings seems wise as those are exempt from liens.

bluesroo 8y ago
On top of the yearly exemption, you have a lifetime exemption in the US of $11.18M.
- CurrentlyYouDo 8y ago
  Currently you do. At a recent visit to my estate planning attorney he said it's likely that will be cut in half in the next few years. I don't recall whether it was because there's a time limit on that particular part of the law that's going to run out, or because it was likely the ruling parties would switch and they would vote it back down. But either way just remember that it can change in either direction at just about any time.
ThrustVectoring 8y ago
IRAs are not exempt from creditors in all states, FYI. Texas has solid unlimited protection at least, though.

01100011 8y ago

Some of the cost difference is likely due to different procedures and materials(i.e. contrast agents).