The wide variation in costs for MRI scans -- often within the same metropolitan area -- is again under the microscope.
A new series on healthcare pricing launched February 20 by the Philadelphia Inquirer starts with an article on the extreme price differences for MRI scans in the Philadelphia area. Reporters for the newspaper surveyed 30 healthcare providers and found that prices for scans varied widely.
Called Philly Health Costs, the series is a partnership between the Philadelphia Inquirer, the TV news program 6ABC Action News, and journalism start-up ClearHealthCosts. The project intends to create a database of cash prices for common medical services such as imaging scans, colonoscopies, and blood tests.
The inaugural story in the series describes the experience of one patient, a 40-year-old man who had an MRI scan three years ago for a herniated disk. Prices for a lower-back MRI scan without contrast at area hospitals ranged from $369 to $1,385 for patients who pay for the scans themselves.
The article includes commentary from a radiologist who explained why scan prices might vary, but who believed there shouldn't be so much variation for routine lumbar spines. Indeed, the article discusses how discounts and added fees can create confusion over the pricing of medical tests.
