Is there a clinic in Houston, TX where i can get a free MRI scan or at least make payments to pay for it?

Question

i don't have an insurance and i've been told that it would cost me from $1000 to $2000. i don't have that much money since i am an international student and i barely make ends meet. i want to get brain checked to see what''s wrong with me. 4 years ago i got MRI scanned back in my homecountry and the doctors told me that i have an intracranial hypertension. It's been bothering me for over month now and i can't do anything about it. Please, if anybody knows the answer or the way out, i would greatly appreciate it.

Answer 1

Of course, you need a doctor's order to get any imaging study, including a MRI.  But, even if your doctor gives you an order written on General Hospital's form, you can get your MRI done at Mercy Hospital.

My best advice would be to look in your local yellow pages, and make calls for estimated costs at facilities in your area. Prices will vary depending on which state you are in....in fact, the prices can vary quite a bit between facilities in the same area. I work in a free standing imaging center, and we charge about half what the hospital (located in the same town!) charges. Look in the yellow pages under "x-ray" or "physicians - radiologist" and start calling facilities. If you call the imaging department of a hospital, make sure you get both the technical fee (for the cost of the procedure) and the professional fee (for the radiologist's reading). Most free standing imaging centers combine those costs into one fee. Other things to think about.....find out if the facility offers a cash discount for uninsured patients. Where I work, we offer 40% off the cost of CTs and MRIs for uninsured patients, if they pay the total on the day of service. Also, find out if they can make a payment plan for you, if you cannot come up with all of the money at the time of your procedure. We ask for 25% down at time of service, and then we do a payment plan, mapping out monthly payments for the balance. Sometimes the monthly payment is fairly low.....$50 even. A little bit of research can save you some money!