re: Just had to cancel my shoulder MRI cause of out of pocket expense

Probably messed up your shoulder racing to break the latest news on Saints Talk, amirite?

I have a PPO I think. My deductible for a family of 4 soon to be 5 is $3k per year and then they pay 90% after it is met within my network, $6k outside my network. But the good thing is that my company double matches what I put in my HSA account. So if I put in $1k they dump in $3k. Which means I invest $1k of my own money and they deductible gets covered. Due to the wife being preggers, we met the deductible in June. Regarding someones question regarding Radiologist's pay, not sure exactly how much, likely affected if they are a partner in a group or just a hospital employee or maybe a department chief. But I know they make bank. Probably from low end of $250k to top up closer to 7 figures. But again, that is all affected by multiple outside influences.

If you came to my ortho clinic in this situation, this is what I would tell you:


1. Try a cortisone injection and some PT with focus on your anterior rotator cuff and biceps. For most patient with "minor tears", time really is the best medicine. Therapy and one or two cortisone injections can help many individuals.

2. Go negotiate with a privately owned outpatient imaging center. I bet you could get a non-arthrogram MRI for maybe 200-300 dollars cash up front deal. Arthrogram will still be a lot more.

3. If after trying #1, being unsuccessful at #2 and still having pain limiting your life, then talk to your surgeon about proceeding with a diagnostic scope. But your still going to be responsible for your deductible and taking a risk the surgeon may not find anything "fixable."

Call them and tell them you don't have insurance and want to pay cash and negotiate the price. It will be far less than your deductible.

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Call them and tell them you don't have insurance and want to pay cash and negotiate the price. It will be far less than your deductible.

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Insurance fraud is always the way to do it.

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Elections have consequences.

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Years of price-hikes on these procedures have consequences is probably what you meant.

I had similar pains playing baseball in high school. Two MRIs and about six months of physical therapy and all the could tell me was that it could be a few things, but there wasn't much they could do. Physical therapy taught me some exercises to keep my shoulder strong enough to play second base. Had to take 2 Aleve every day to keep the inflammation in the joint down. So there's a good chance you could pay a buttload and the only answer is take some Aleve.

I went to the doctor for month complaining about my shoulder was told it was my neck, finally had the MRI on my neck and they found nothing. I continued going to the doctor complaining and was to the point that the jarring motion of walking made it unbearable. The last doctor I went to finally decided to do surgery without an MRI. When he went in, I had multi bone spurs, a torn ligament and a frayed rotator cuff. Surgery and recovery wasn't fun but being in pain like that was horrible. Best of luck to you.

You are poor I see.