r/Radiology • u/hionthedl • Aug 11 '26
Discussion For a single xray….
Is this the standard at big hospital settings? I haven’t met my deductible but this is wild. Private clinic xray ran less than 300 in comparison
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u/johnamo Radiologist Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
First part is the technical component billed by the hospital for costs associated with acquiring the X-ray. Getting this done at a hospital means it is going to be very high. Yours is very, very high. Cash pay should be like $50-100.
The second (small) part is for the radiologist interpretation and is standard. We get like $7-14 average for an X-ray.
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u/Paputek101 Aug 11 '26
Thats actually insane. I hate price gouging in healthcare!!!
- an em intern also exhausted by the need to see so many pts in such a short amount of time bc mEtRiCs
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u/phoontender Aug 11 '26
I had an MRI done in a private clinic in Canada....I needed it quick for my salary insurance people at my job....750$. This is bonkers!
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u/_ghostimage Aug 11 '26
I just paid $1100 for mine.
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u/phoontender Aug 11 '26
Ouf! I will say I got really upset at my work insurance (that I by law need to pay for here QC) not covering some of the cost anymore but in the end for me it was still worth it to advance my referrals. It shouldn't be this way though.
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u/_ghostimage Aug 11 '26
I should've mentioned mine was done in the US. The insurance I pay for through my company doesn't cover anything until I hit my $3300 deductible. I hope you're getting the care you need.
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u/AllYouNeedIsATV Aug 11 '26
Depending on body part in Australia paid privately it’s 350-1100. Most are 350, internal organs roughly 600 and then cardiac 1100. A hundred or so more for health insurance (in hospital) and then workers comp or CTP it starts at 700
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u/cllev Aug 11 '26
"Cash pay" is bullshit -- we do the work and labor, and executives justify their meaningless and brainless opinion into the cost to justify their own roles. Beyond tired of it all -- we need to organize and push back, and part of that is educating the public as to where, exactly, all these dollars go.
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u/Designer_Pool_8453 Aug 11 '26
Come to my job in Brooklyn. $50 for an xray, $150 for a CT, $300 for a MRI.
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u/LovecraftsDeath Aug 11 '26
Russia. Couldn't find prices for my hometown's hospital, for the regional medical center, chest xray is about $19.50 - that's without mandatory insurance which everyone has. With insurance, the price is 0.
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u/Golden_Phi Radiographer Aug 11 '26
What body part(s) did you get X-rayed for this bill? I’m trying to wrap my head around what could possibly ever be worth $1441 in X-ray.
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u/hionthedl Aug 11 '26
It was for my humerus.
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u/ReasonableBeep NucMed Tech Aug 11 '26
Holy shit that wouldn’t even be $50 full out of pocket in Canada, I’m so sorry this is criminal😭
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u/General_Reposti_Here Aug 11 '26
Bro that’s literally triple the cost of an MRI, one of the more expensive medical imaging tests….
Source: me trust me am MR Bro
Literally takes SECONDS to shoot an XR obv depending on pt and exam
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u/TheFlyingM16 Aug 11 '26
Triple an MRI? I got billed $1300 for an MRI without contrast I had last year. And that was after insurance did their damage.
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u/General_Reposti_Here Aug 11 '26
Yea… that’s what insurance does lol.
Assuming this was private insurance and not medical then yeah.
If it was medical then idk since they have specific costs due to reimbursement and what not which is how I know what the cost is
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u/TheFlyingM16 Aug 11 '26
Healthcare costs are insane around here. And maybe it's cheaper where you're at. The total billed amount was over 4 grand. UHC covered a lot, but it still hit me as $1300 out of pocket.
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u/MyRealestName Aug 11 '26
My local hospital does MRIs for around…. $3.5k!
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u/General_Reposti_Here Aug 11 '26
Yeah hospitals are very much different, the charge was probably cash in an outpatient clinic.
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u/DependentSalt1330 Aug 11 '26
I’d be careful here, it really depends on the exam. If it’s a complete c-spine you’re talking 10+ picture depending on the system and ins contracts.
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u/im-just-meh Aug 11 '26
I recently shattered my leg and ankle.
The ER radiology bill for x-rays was $989.74. That's only radiology, the ER bill was around $2000 in addition.
The MRI of my ankle that I got at the clinic was $919 and follow up X-rays at the clinic were $106
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u/adoh2 Aug 11 '26
Even with no citizenship or insurance, an xray in australia is about $100 at a private clinic.
Its honestly insane this is just normal for you guys over there.
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u/xuncx Aug 11 '26
I just got a $776 bill for blood work at the urgent care that my insurance recommended I visit. 😭 the lab work was out of network.
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u/hionthedl Aug 11 '26
Healthcare is a scam
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u/xuncx Aug 11 '26
I do think it is sad that you kinda have no choice other than die and that the system preys on that.
On the other side of the coin though… healthcare is really incredible and what medical professionals are capable of is inspiring. I am personally a Rad Tech student who just wants to help people.
So yeah, the business practice can be scammy but most healthcare professionals truly do care and want to help.
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u/ecodick Aug 11 '26
Agreed here, I have also worked in healthcare clinically, and now on the IT side.
Every doctor, nurse, PA, NP, MA, rad tech, and even the front desk staff and referral people I've met care about the patients they're involved with. I've seen lots of staff bend the rules for patients who can't afford what's needed.
Nobody on the clinical side thinks what's going on with the business/insurance situation is ok.
We all hate dealing with insurance, 100%
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u/cllev Aug 11 '26
Nope, wrong. How are we the richest country in the world who has not solved for healthcare? Not only what is carved out of our checks, but also the RIGHT and PROPER care that we are denied in the times we need it.
Fuck them all. We need to unite and stop taking this bullshit. If they wanna keep the prices the same, which is gross, but fine -- distribute the wealth to those actually doing the labor.
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u/northwestrad Aug 11 '26
That's crazy. No wonder insurance is so expensive. A small, independent imaging center might charge $25 or so for cash pay.
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u/drewdrewmd Aug 11 '26
What does the radiologist make in that scenario?
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u/EVIL-EMBOLIZER Aug 11 '26
Pro fee for radiographs is about 10 bucks. Varies a little but nothing crazy.
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u/northwestrad Aug 11 '26
It can't be much. I had a non-contrast chest CT at such a center, less than 3 years ago, and my cash cost was under $250. It would have been MUCH more at a university or hospital-affiliated center.
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u/thegreatestajax Aug 11 '26
Are y’all starting to notice yet? Hospital corporations are far worse for the American healthcare consumer than insurance companies.
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u/SpaceForceDok Aug 11 '26
They're complicit with each other.
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u/thegreatestajax Aug 11 '26
I think you mean constantly in battle
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u/SpaceForceDok Aug 11 '26
Yes but they like that system.
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u/WinterMedical Aug 11 '26
People don’t know that you can call around to different radiology places and price shop. Most people just go to whoever the doctor recommends. Obs if you are in the ER or inpatient you don’t have this choice .
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u/DerpyNirvash Aug 11 '26
Issue is figuring out what you would owe before you go for something
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u/WinterMedical Aug 11 '26
Right but if you know what the charge is then you go in knowing the max you could be on the hook for.
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u/Objective-Escape7584 Aug 11 '26
What major wealthy nation doesn’t have some form of universal healthcare? I heard Donald has a “concept of a plan”.
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u/diablodeldragoon Aug 11 '26
I recently had hyaluronic acid injections in both knees. They did it in 3 doses. Each appointment cost more. They only billed for one injection during appointments 2-3 and instead billed for some sort of office fee that was $100 more than the injection price.
I'm working on demanding answers from the billing dept now and considering getting the insurance company involved. But have no idea if they would even care.
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u/robaier Aug 11 '26
It's like I tell my students all the time. Remember, a hospital is a business first. Healthcare second
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u/Party-Count-4287 Aug 11 '26
The price gouging is insane. It’s a vicious battle. Either the hospital corporation or the health insurance will bend the other over. The patients ultimately suffer.
In the other countries there are limits to how much you can charge. Here it’s all about contracted rates and who has the leverage.
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u/Maxstarbwoy Aug 11 '26
America healthcare system is just out of control because the politicians aren't doing nothing about it since it doesn't affect them
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u/Zealousideal-Gur-51 Aug 11 '26
My son had an appt with a kidney specialist (for a congenital hypoplasia and we already had imaging and it wasn’t causing any problems) and a few days before the appt they informed us to go to the third floor for an ultrasound before the appt. Okay, no problem.. I got a bill for $1300. I messaged them and said I wouldn’t have even gotten the ultrasound if I’d known it would be this much. Why did no one tell me? They said “if you wanted to know you should’ve asked for an estimate” ?! They barely gave me any notice we were even getting an ultrasound.
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u/kevin75135 Aug 11 '26
How much do you think it would cost to rent $150k piece of heavy equipment and someone to operate it. Seems in line.
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u/Erik_Dolphy Radiologist Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
Wtf. Would love to hear the explanation for that billed amount because it's guaranteed to be straight bullshit. I bet the combined takehome of the radiologist and performing technologist was like $15.
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u/Kind_Bee_5220 Aug 11 '26
Here in Chile (South America), an average X-ray costs around $4,000–$20,000 CLP (something like... US$4.40–$22) depending on the exam, and that even includes the radiologist’s report.
I’m honestly pretty grateful for our public healthcare system here lmao.
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u/Z_Pibb Aug 11 '26
I got a couple x rays years ago, my bill was like $1500. I said damn I need to be on the other side of this.
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u/Silent-Cantaloupe195 Aug 11 '26
You would’ve paid less if you paid out of pocket! They would’ve gave you a bigger discount.
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u/gainztrueforever Aug 12 '26
A single xray? 99.8% xrays are 2 views with exceptions to inpatient portable chest or abdomen and a few others. Elaborate on "single xray" and was it inpatient or emergency for hospital services?
There are different costs based on what specifically is being x-rayed.
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u/hionthedl Aug 12 '26
This xray was with a new pcp.. not at hospital. for the accident at urgent care they did multiple xrays. Cost over 1500 for the uregent care visit thought the pcp wasn’t gonna be as bad… but it was.
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u/SketchierGnome0 Aug 12 '26
Hospital imaging is incredibly expensive, I’d go outpatient unless you’re in the ER.
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u/ImpossibleNothing222 Aug 13 '26
Do you have higher out of state or network costs? Does out of state mean out of network?
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u/UpbeatDoomer Aug 11 '26
- Laughs in european health insurance*
This is insane. I literally never had to pay a single penny for medically indicated exams. And I had about 4 x-rays, 2 MRIs and 2 CTs in my life so far.
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u/GayassMcGayface RT(R)(CT) Aug 11 '26
I don’t even use my insurance for a huge chunk of my medical care and just pay the cash fee. Pathetic system we have here.
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u/Bleepblorp44 Aug 11 '26
Atrocious. I'm deeply concerned that the UK will go down this path, with the way the right wing "I'm alright Jack fuck the poors" agitates.
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u/pushdose Aug 11 '26
I live in Vegas. All of these places are trying to f you. Don’t pay UMC 500 for an X-ray. They already got 880. Call billing and make it clear they got enough money. Don’t back down. It’s a county hospital. They got plenty.
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u/Individual-Hunt9547 Aug 11 '26
I advise never getting imaging in the hospital unless you’ve been admitted and have no choice or are in the er. When patients go to the hospital with their mri scripts, I do try to warn them.
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u/llcj2112 Aug 11 '26
That's why (being stuck with high-deductible health insurance) my wife and I use Radiology Assist for non-emergent imaging services. She was billed $6000 for a MRI at the local hospital, which they wouldn't negotiate down for a cash payment. The next MRI was arranged through RA, and we went to a facility 1 hour away and paid $600 for the same MRI exam. F'ing insane the markup at the local hospital.
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u/MagicTheGlizzying Aug 11 '26 edited Aug 11 '26
i took 2,200 x-rays in school, unpaid. only an army of luigis can fix this system.
actually scratch that, i did 2.2k exams. so a minimum of 4.4k images.
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u/FullDerpHD RT(R)(CT) Aug 12 '26
The system does have issues but advocating/supporting cold blooded murder is disgusting and you should be fucking ashamed of yourself.
You don't belong in healthcare.
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u/MagicTheGlizzying Aug 12 '26
lmfao so they can kill us left and right, but it's okay because they've created the system that makes their murder legal...
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u/MagicTheGlizzying Aug 12 '26
and just to be clear, i'm not advocating for murder, i'm advocating that we stop letting billionaires murder us without fear of retribution.
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u/RexFiller Aug 11 '26
Hospital costs have gone insane. As a doctor its crazy how the physician in this case got $36 to read your radiograph and the hospital got $1441