Comments on: Why does a CT scan cost so much in the USA?

By: Carlos vales

Carlos vales — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:33:09 +0000

here in Colorado metro area there is a imaging center that charges best prices for MRI and ct scans example ct any area $ 590 dollars, I just had one and the cost in the hospital with same machine $4,000 dollars and also they made me wait only 15 minutes and on the ER you can wait hours,they speak English,Spanish,German, Russian any question send me email

By: NorthSky

NorthSky — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:38:49 +0000

I had a pelvic, abdomen cat scan done recently at InMed in Columbia, SC at 2117 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC 29204. It cost me $155 without insurance. You should consider going to Columbia and saving almost $4000.
Call them: (803) 988-0082. Let me know how much you spent if you ever decide to go there. If they quote you much more, you may need to qualify first to apply with EAU CLAIRE COOPERATIVE HEALTH CENTERS. If you need their phone number, let me know. You will need your tax returns to qualify. They accept all income levels. My income level is medium low and if you have a low income level you may end up paying even less than $155, but I’m not sure of that.

By: JP

JP — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:22:43 +0000

I need a CT scan (abdomen and pelvis) and have been quoted 4000 . I live in south Georgia (USA). My insurance deductible is 5000.00. I’m trying to find a better price on a CT scan so if anyone happens to read this and knows of anywhere I can look, please leave a reply. Thanks.

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Gibson Guitar Plant Raided - Page 2 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:42:51 +0000

[...] it to the US costs for the exact same Medical procedure: (U$6500 for an ovary CT scan) from: Why does a CT scan cost so much in the USA? at scan man’s notes an excerpt: the emergency room. There, doctors ordered a full CT scan, a radiation imaging [...]

By: Sherly

Sherly — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:37:52 +0000

Hello Vijay,

Thank you so much for sharing this information with us. You should know that in US, doctor’s office, testing places are not willing to give you as patient enough information to give a quote. Well, at least that is my most recent experience. We were ordered to get an MRI and ultrasound done, with no information on the cost. I mean, any sane person don’t go to car dealership and buy thousands of dollars worth of car without asking the price. Why can’t they be more transparent? I called up almost everyone (doctor’s office, testing facility, etc), no one can give me the pricing. They all say we don’t know…

I managed to squeezed out a little info that an MRI will cost us from 1100 - 2000 US$ for a head area scan. Obviously not everyday person can just pay that amount since we have not met our deductible yet. But even after deductible met, we still have to pay an extra 20% of what left and then the insurance cover the 80%.

You won’t believe how much health care cost in here getting higher each year. More people can’t get access to them because of this.

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:10:23 +0000

After not feeling well, we were told to go to the ER. I’m not even sure if the cardio doctor we see called us back or if it was the general gp’s office that told us to go to the ER. No one could see my husband when he needed to be seen. We went to the ER where they ordered the CT scans.

Note: This is the same hospital - Barnes Jewish that we had gone to via doctor’s recomendations and had to pay over $700 out-of-pocket after the negotiated insurance price. We had insurance that we pay over $300/month via the program through work.

We waited for the bill. None arrived! Apparently if it was an ER visit the scans were 100% covered! However, if it was considered a TEST via a doctor’s office - there’s where the problem starts. So, what percentage of kickbacks are doctors getting for these “tests”? Makes me wonder. We’ll continue to go to Metro Imaging for the routine scans that’s required. The cancer issue has me worried though and I’ll bring that up with the Cardio doctor on the next visit.

Thanks to all here for their shared experience. I really hope we can help others with these costs via research on the Internet. I know we’ll be sure to research costs for any test beforehand if possible and discuss alternatives (thinking a trip to India would be in order - smirk). At least that way we could get medical test inexpensive while discussing our cell phone bill.

By: Claire

Claire — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:00:05 +0000

I think what it boils down to is that the big-profit factor has to be removed from frontline healthcare. While ever there is big money to be made out of it, whether it be by direct charges to the people unfortunate enough to be in need of services beyond a simple GP visit; or whether it be charges by the health care insurance industry which aims to maximise income and minimise payouts, then people’s health is held to ransom in the name of maximising profits. The emphasis in health care should be on providing the best possible health care outcomes for ALL of the population at the most affordable price possible for the members of society. While ever corporate profits remain the focus of frontline healthcare, then costs will remain high and people will continue to suffer severe financial difficulties because of the misfortune of ill-health.

By: Andrius

Andrius — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:53:22 +0000

Here in Lithuania a chest CT scan would cost you approximately 800 Lt (~$320), provided you had NO mandatory health insurance (which all working people and university students get automatically, and you can even pay it yourself for a mere 72 Lt / month [approx. $29] ) or NO referral from a doctor. With insurance and a referral from a doctor, some places might ask you to pay for the contrast dye, but otherwise the scan would be free.

I’m shocked at the prices in the US… There goes my dream to get Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE) surgery done at UC San Diego which are inventors of the procedure, and the best at it in the whole world. I’m no millionaire, after all…

By: Claire

Claire — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 06:13:22 +0000

You could also argue that you cannot say, for example, that it cost you nothing to walk to the shops: it cost you something in taxes to pay for the concrete to build the footpath you walked along, and it cost you something in taxes to supply the traffic lights that stopped the cars so you could walk across the crossing. We all contribute towards the infrastructure that goes towards creating our society. In this instance, we all contribute a small amount towards providing a universal health care service that provides for those in need, as opposed to those that are unfortunate enough to require the health care service having to meet the full cost themselves.

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:10:52 +0000

The only way it cost him nothing is if he’s never paid any taxes.