Magnetic Resonance ImagingMRI machines can range from US$150,000 for low-field machines to US$3 million for a new state-of-the-art machine. A MRI Suite has to also be constructed, which requires the main magnet room, control room and computer room. The total cost for installing the MRI, including machine and the suite can run from $3 million to $5 million. Since MRI heat up easily, internal cooling system is required resulting in US$100,000 maintenance cost.
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Computer Tomography (CT)CT scanner can range from US$65,000 for a small refurbished scanner to US$2.5 million for a large and new scanner. Similar to MRI, CT scanner will require internal cooling system, resulting in US$100,000 maintenance cost. Lead shielding between control room and the scanning room will add additional cost too.
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Cost of getting an MRI scan
Charges for a single MRI scan vary widely across the country for reasons beyond startup costs. According to the recently released Medicare data, MRIs charges are as little as $474 or as high as $13,259. Another study by Change Healthcare found that in-network prices for certain MRIs can run from $511 to $2,815. In addition to high cost of the scan, the total bill for the MRI will include the radiologist fee, the contrast dyes, and the cost of the procedure itself. Depending on the medical center, these charges may be bundled together into one charg, causing MRI scans to be one of the most costly medical procedure
Defensive Medicine
Defensive medicine is the fear of being sued by patients for not ordering a test. To protect themselves, doctors order the tests (not limiting to MRI) even though it might unnecessary. Furthermore, patients have increasing expectation as accuracy of these machines improves. Patients expect their doctor too be sure before any surgery or operation. With great accuracy in these scans, diagnosis can be efficiently established with less effort instead of having to think whether such tests are required. Patients are charged higher to cover the initial cost of establishing the service. Coupled with instances of unnecessary testing, patients will be burden by large additional cost.