You Should Definitely Be Shopping Around

LI don’t know why it doesn’t occur to me to think about shopping around for the best price on medical procedures. I think perhaps it’s because I have a hard time thinking of it as a product, and therefore something for which bargains exist….and that I should be looking for them.

I learned my lesson this week.

Last weekend, Children’s Hospital Dallas set us up for an MRI (lumbar and thoracic, w/wo contrast for the medical wonks) as an outpatient at their sister hospital in Plano, TX for Wednesday.

On Tuesday, I received a phone call from the billing department at Children’s in Plano letting me know that our obligation for this procedure was $1,216.47, and did I want to pay it today or tomorrow as payment is expected at time of service. I just started laughing, because what family with a chronically ill child has an extra $1,200 just sitting around? After a short conversation and some negotiation, the hospital agreed to take $50 on the day of service and make payment arrangements before we began the procedure.

It didn’t take long after that phone call for wheels to start turning in my head – I know a guy who works at an imaging center. We work out together several times a week, and while I tend to think of him in terms of the gym, he’s also a medical professional.

I shot off a text message to him. “Do you do closed MRI’s at your office? For kids?” Almost immediately, I got a reply that they did. I followed up with a picture of the doctor’s orders, and he answered again that that was something he could do. He could work her in on Thursday morning, if I wanted. Then came the dreaded “What will it run me?” I sent a copy of our insurance card and waited. After five minutes, he called me.

“I’m sorry, Rebecca, but it’s kinda pricy.” I sighed and waited for the bad news. “I can’t give discounts to friends, unfortunately, and it’s going to run you $238.43.”

Yippppeeeeeee!!!!!

$1,000! I had saved our family $1,000 with just a few text messages and a phone conversation, and that was the regular price!

Never forget that medical care is something they’re selling, and if the price seems crazy high you should be calling the competition. I’ll never sacrifice on care, but I’m officially done with spending money when I don’t have to.