Five reasons MRI scans are more affordable at an imaging center

Outpatient MRI: Empowering Your Healthcare Decisions

You have more options than you think

When your doctor orders an MRI scan, you hold more power over your healthcare experience than you might realize. While many patients automatically head to the hospital for imaging, there’s another path that could save you both time and money while delivering the same high-quality results you need.

Take Control of Your Imaging Experience

Outpatient imaging centers offer you the opportunity to receive your MRI scan in a more comfortable, patient-focused environment. These specialized facilities are designed around your convenience, often providing:

• Flexible scheduling that works with your life, not against it
• Shorter wait times so you can get back to what matters most
• Personalized attention from staff dedicated to imaging excellence

6 Reasons Your Wallet Will Thank You for Choosing Gateway Diagnostic Imaging for Your MRI

Perhaps most importantly, choosing an outpatient imaging center, like Gateway, can dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket costs. The same MRI scan that might cost thousands at a hospital facility often costs significantly less at an independent imaging center – sometimes saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

#1. We don’t charge for facility fees like hospitals do

Here’s something that might surprise you: when you get an MRI at a hospital, you’re often paying for much more than just your scan. The services a hospital provides must meet the urgent medical needs of many people in the community. To keep the facility running, hospitals are able to add facility fees to procedures such as MRI scans, even though these fees have nothing to do with the actual cost of the scan itself. 

What is a hospital facility fee? How does it increase the total cost of an MRI scan?

 A hospital facility fee is an added charge to medical bills to help cover the cost of keeping the hospital running. It increases the total cost of an MRI scan by including this fee in the bill as a separate line item, sometimes even equaling or exceeding the actual cost of the MRI scan itself. A facility fee has nothing to do with the real cost of an MRI scan, but it is added to offset other expenses involved in running a hospital and providing the services to the community. It is like paying a “cover charge” at a restaurant or “resort fees” at a hotel. It’s completely separate from the medical service you’re receiving and has nothing to do with the quality or accuracy of your imaging.

#2. Gateway Diagnostic Imaging only focus on medical imaging, and nothing else 

One key reason why MRI scans are more affordable at imaging centers than at hospitals is because hospitals have to offer many different services. Imaging centers are only focused on imaging, which keeps costs lower for the people who use them.

How does focusing only on imaging help reduce the costs of MRI exams?

By focusing only on imaging it is possible for independent imaging centers to keep costs lower by being more efficient and focusing on their imaging specialization. We can streamline scheduling, staffing, and operating costs much more easily than can a hospital. We do not need to be able to respond 24/7 to unexpected emergencies, and can more readily predict the operating costs. Buildings are typically smaller and less complex at an outpatient imaging centers, so facility costs are also lower. As such, costs are kept lower when a narrower, specialized range of services are offered, because there are fewer unexpected costs and expenses. 

#3. We’re in-network with more insurance plans

Insurance companies base their rates on whether a facility is in-network within a patient’s insurance plan. When a facility like an imaging center is in-network, it means they can negotiate rates with the insurance company to help keep costs low. Hospitals have more complex insurance structures, and it can be hard to know if your plan is accepted by all of the providers within the hospital.

How do negotiated insurance rates help lower your out-of-pocket MRI costs?

Negotiated insurance rates are pre-arranged discounts that imaging centers can offer to their patients. Being in-network with more insurance plans means imaging patients will have lower out-of-pocket costs for their imaging work.

Why are imaging centers more likely to be covered at a lower rate?

Gateway Diagnostic Imaging centers offer services on an outpatient basis. This means the imaging costs are lower than an in-patient hospital setting, because costs are more predictable and straightforward. Insurance companies can better predict actual costs when negotiating with an imaging center than they can with a hospital.

#4. We schedule as efficiently as possible

One advantage an outpatient imaging center has over a hospital is its ability to schedule patients efficiently and predictably. We will also know how many patients we can see in a day, and schedule accordingly.

How does a streamlined scheduling process help keep costs lower?

Streamlined scheduling keeps costs lower by knowing exactly how many patients will be seen on a given day. This means staffing decisions can be made ahead of time, and workflow optimized with fewer delays and reduced wait time. Patients can be seen as scheduled without waiting beyond their appointment time.

#5. We offer transparent pricing and financial assistance

Gateway Diagnostic Imaging centers are better able to offer transparent pricing and financial assistance than hospitals.

How does transparent pricing help you avoid surprise bills or hidden costs?

Transparent pricing means there are no hidden or complex fees associated with your imaging work. The scans offered at imaging centers are standardized and consistent, and their relationship with insurance companies is more straightforward, making everything easier. Patients can know the actual cost of their imaging ahead of time, so they can better plan their imaging with the confidence of knowing what their actual costs will be.

How can financial assistance make it more affordable to get an MRI?

Financial assistance means there are programs or services available to help patients cover the cost of their MRI. Knowing the cost of the MRI, and having support that can  help cover the costs of a scan, means more patients can have access to affordable imaging. Some imaging centers even offer financial assistance to people who qualify.

Your Money Should Go Toward Your Care

At an outpatient imaging center, you pay for exactly what you get: a high-quality MRI scan performed by expert technologists using state-of-the-art equipment. No hidden fees. No subsidizing services you don’t need. Just transparent pricing for the medical care you’re actually receiving.

The bottom line: You have the power to choose where your healthcare dollars go. Why pay hospital markup when you can get the same excellent imaging results for a fraction of the cost? Your scan will be just as accurate, your results just as reliable – but your wallet will feel much lighter in the best possible way.

How to schedule your MRI scan with us

When you get your scan at one of our imaging centers, we’ll make sure you have access to affordable, high-quality medical imaging from specialized radiologists and certified technologists. 

Reach out to a Gateway imaging center near you, and schedule your appointment today.