MRI (cost)

[Balaclava]

I am not sure if this post breaches any forum rules or is in the correct area but I wanted to share it with others.

After deciding that an MRI scan was better sooner rather than later I called up my local Spire and asked "how much?" I had a figure in my head (don't know where it came from) and I was shocked when I was quoted £3485. I decided to shop around and eventually got it done for £3295. Prior to taking the £3295 option I called Spire and asked them if they would 'price match' and the reply was "NO." My (£3295) MRI scan was an excellent experience and as far as I can see, as good as I would have got if I had paid £3495.

That calls into question the cost of every other procedure i.e. how do we know if we are being charged a fair price?

[Balaclava]

I can also add that after to £3485 quote of got three other quotes of £3400, £3350 and £3295 and got the £3295 MRI scan done at the same venue as the £3350 quote venue!

[kneegeek2020]

people gonna charge what they gonna charge. I think what you did was the wisest decision. Before I got lipogems, I contacted at least 10 clinics in the united states. Some wanted 6,000 usd per knee. The place I eventually went to was 4,000 total for both knees. Kits cost 1300 so the doctor was paid 2700 for a 55 minute procedure. Still a racket but all you can do is price shop like you did.

[vickster]

In the UK, the large hospital chains like Spire are inevitably more than a standalone imaging centre (infrastructure to support, upgrades to fund, shareholders to pay) Self pay is also often more than the cost the insurer pays (I have had self pay quotes and also see what my insurer pays for the same service, eg physio)

Can be cheaper to pay to have done privately as NHS hospital

The cost differential at the same place may be due to time of day or day of week (evening and weekend can cost more than say a Tuesday lunchtime). Also the type of machine may impact. Some are more detailed than others

Also the detail provided in the report may impact the cost. My MRI reports done at local Spire have typically been a side of A4 or more with every detail covered be it normal al or abnormal. A scan report done by an imaging place for a personal injury claim ran about 4 lines only!
The cheapest scans may only come with a disc for the Consultant and no radiologist consultant report at all.

Area also influences, central London is more than a provincial town.