An “uncovered” hidden Obamacare cost

November 30 has come and gone, meaning HealthCare.gov, the $630 million portal created by the Affordable Care Act that links all 36 federal online insurance marketplaces, should be running smoothly for the majority of users. However, that does not mean the marketplaces are easy to use, especially for individuals trying to compare how different policies cover drug costs. Costs can differ … Read More

States losing billions in refusing to expand Medicaid, report finds

Texas will lose $9.2 billion in 2022; Florida says goodbye to $5 billion; Georgia is out $4.9 billion. A new report details just how much states are losing because they don’t want to expand Medicaid under Obamacare, and it’s not chump change. Red states may be sticking to their Republican beliefs in small government, but the Commonwealth Fund finds they … Read More

Better MRI comfort in place at Capitol Imaging Services in Mississippi

In the continuing mission for Capitol Imaging Services to implement the latest imaging technologies while identifying ways to make diagnostic testing more comfortable and calm for people, we are pleased to announce the latest addition in MRI to those ends: the Toshiba Vantage Titan 1.5T High Field MRI. Installed at the Imaging Center of Columbus, The Vantage Titan system offers … Read More

Companies prepare to pass more health costs to workers

Companies are bracing for an influx of participants in their insurance plans due to the health-care overhaul, adding to pressure to shift more of the cost of coverage to employees. Many employers are betting that the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that all Americans have health insurance starting in 2014 will bring more people into their plans who have previously opted … Read More

Who gets a subsidy under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?

The new availability of tax credits for qualified low-income people purchasing individual coverage through exchanges could be a game changer. Qualified individuals with family incomes between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) will be eligible for sliding-scale premium tax credits that will cap the amount they may pay for coverage. Individuals with family incomes at or below … Read More

Caught between the hospital-insurance crossfire

When you’re in recovery from a hospital visit — whether it’s a major surgery, a visit to the emergency room or just a routine procedure — the last thing you want to worry about is paying your medical bills. Although the doctors may have stitched you up, sometimes they don’t quite stick to procedure when it comes to filing your … Read More

Sharing a journalist’s experience with the federal government health care website

A reporter documents their experience with researching health insurance options. The success achieved in getting the information was not through the website, but by utilizing a toll free number in order to speak to a representative. For those who are having difficulties with the online application process, the telephone may be your next best option. While the digital age has … Read More

Association between weight at time of diagnosis and prostate cancer mortality

Men who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer are more likely to die from the disease than men who are of healthy weight, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the journal Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. In patients with more aggressive forms of prostate cancer, the researchers also found an even stronger correlation between … Read More

What is global billing?

There are many confusing terms surrounding healthcare, healthcare services and health insurance coverage. Numerous different options can often put someone’s head in a spin as they try to grasp with bills and statements from medical provider offices, hospitals and medical centers. One term that Capitol Imaging Services often uses and can be considered to be a major financial benefit to … Read More

Join Diagnostic Imaging Services in observance of National Wear Red Day

Go Red For Women and Diagnostic Imaging Services wants you to join us as we break the barriers against heart disease and stroke. Here’s how you can celebrate National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 2, 2018. Why Go Red? Cardiovascular disease in the U.S. kill approximately one woman every 80 seconds. The good news is that 80 percent of … Read More

Capitol Imaging Services affiliate voted best medical testing facility

For the third year in a row, a Capitol Imaging Services affiliate has been designate as the best of the best! Our Southeast Louisiana network member, Diagnostic Imaging Services (DIS), was chosen by the readers of EDGE Magazine published in St. Tammany Parish. Diagnostic Imaging Services has been serving the greater New Orleans metropolitan market, the state of Louisiana and … Read More

Even medical professionals may not understand healthcare pricing

Capitol Imaging Services shares a short story about the misunderstanding that even doctors have about healthcare pricing and costs for patients. On this particular occasion, two physicians told our staff that a local hospital was less expensive than a Capitol Imaging Services affiliate for a particular procedure, a procedure often not covered by insurance. When fully explained by our associates, … Read More

Pelvic and obstetrical ultrasounds: why do we make you have a full bladder?

We are sure that most women out there have had the pleasure of experiencing an extremely full bladder during a pelvic or obstetrical ultrasound examination!  The usual question that we get regarding this is “why do you need to torture us with an overly full bladder while you press on our pelvis making it worse?” Well, there are two very … Read More

A New Year’s resolution suggestion: ask how much that test will cost!

Would you be upset if you received a medical bill for what most would consider to be an outrageous amount of money for a simple test? That’s what one person experienced with a charge of nearly $12,500 for lab work! This story, published by National Public Radio in December 2020, illustrates the continuing issue in healthcare: exorbitant fees charged by … Read More

Why a physician refers all her patients to Capitol Imaging Services

Why does a physician in Florida refer all of her patients to Capitol Imaging Services? Because, in her opinion, it is due to the excellent patient care and attention from our associates to people she sends to one of our network affiliates for their imaging exam. How excellent and personal? Florida-based Homosassa Open MRI had a person arrive in front … Read More

Thyroid disease awareness: give yourself a “neck check”

January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. Thyroid disease affects as many as 30 million Americans, according to the American College of Endocrinology. What is the thyroid? The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in front of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid gland produces hormones that control how the body functions – including heart rate, cholesterol level, body … Read More

Have a High Deductible Health Insurance plan?

According to the website, www.valuepenguin.com, “high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) were created for consumers to have a health insurance option with lower premiums and high deductibles. These plans can be linked to health savings accounts (HSAs) to pay for qualified medical expenses in a tax-advantaged way.” As we have made our way through the first two decades of the 21st century, … Read More

Diagnostic Imaging Services will go red for women

National Wear Red Day was on Friday, February 5, 2021. Every year, the first Friday of February has been dedicated to National Wear Red Day as an awareness day for American women to understand their number one health threat – heart disease. Affiliate partners of Capitol Imaging Services participated in observing National Wear Red Day. If you visited our clinics, … Read More

What is the difference between an MRI and a CT scan?

Here is a brief excerpt from an answer to the question posed above, provided by Paul Christo, M.D., Director, Pain Treatment Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System. An MRI, or magnetic resonance image, is a useful tool in evaluating the spine. An MRI is non-invasive, does not use radiation, and provides good visualization of the spinal ligaments, a herniated … Read More

Why the link between childhood cancer and CT scans may be overblown

Another study is adding to the growing body of evidence that CT scans in childhood can be linked to cancer later on. The new study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, looked at seven U.S. health care systems and the use of CT scans on the head, abdomen, pelvis, chest and spine in kids under age 15. CT scans are considered one of … Read More

What do people think of their recent patient experiences?

For those who chose to come to a Capitol Imaging Services affiliate recently for their exam, here’s what some said about their experience: “I don’t know her name, but the woman who performed my mammogram this time, as well as last time, was perfect. She was so sweet and kind and understanding. And the doctor that came in to tell … Read More

One hospital charges $8,000 — another, $38,000

Effective January 1, 2021, a federal rule says hospitals have to list the costs of at least some of their services in accessible, consumer-friendly language. The hope has been that equipped with this information, potential patients can shop around and make a better-informed decision before setting foot in a hospital. It may not always be easy to find these costs, … Read More

Millions can’t afford to go to the doctor

Nearly one-third of Americans skipped needed medical care in the past three months due to cost. Even about 20% of the nation’s highest-income households, those earning more than $120,000 per year, blame cost as the reason for not seeking care, up from 3% over the same timeframe. An estimated 150 million Americans say they are now more worried about the … Read More

Know your rights and choose Capitol Imaging Services

When you visit your doctor and he recommends you have a radiological scan (MRI, CT, PET, X-Ray, Ultrasound etc), you will receive a script.  Your doctor will often make a recommendation where you should go for the scan. In some cases, your physician may belong to a medical group or hospital that owns the imaging center to where you are being referred and … Read More

One percent of COVID-19 patients hospitalized will develop brain complications

According to a large international study that was presented at a national radiology conference in Chicago, IL, one in every 100 people who are hospitalized due to COVID-19 will “likely develop” complications of the Central Nervous System (CNS). According to the article on the study, found on the online version of Applied Radiology, “Much has been written about the overall … Read More

Scientists located biomarkers for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

A few years ago, researchers trying to find the key to a mysterious group of digestive ailments located a number of biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Their discovery is part of the efforts to lead to earlier diagnoses and intervention for individuals still asymptomatic. A team of scientists from the University of Cincinnati analyzed data from the Department of Defense Serum Repository (DoDSR), a … Read More

Proposed new guidelines recommend lowering lung cancer screening guidelines

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently recommended an update to lung cancer screening guidelines, with screening being performed through a low-dose Computed Tomography (CT) exam. According to the medical imaging community website, Aunt Minnie, “The move would bring Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement in line with recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which itself lowered … Read More

State-of-the-art MRI coming to our Covington, LA imaging center

Capitol Imaging Services continues our commitment to providing the latest screening and diagnostic testing technology to serve both the people of the Southeastern U.S. and medical and healthcare providers. At our Diagnostic Imaging Services center in Covington, LA, we are pleased to announce the upcoming installation of a General Electric 450w high field MRI. This MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) systems … Read More

CT screenings can cut lung cancer deaths according to study

According to a study conducted in the Netherlands and published in the January 2020 New England Journal of Medicine, annual Computed Tomography (CT) screenings of former and current long-time smokers have been proven to reduce deaths from lung cancer. “Wonderful News” Dr. Debra Dyer, a spokeswoman for the American College of Radiology and chair of radiology at National Jewish Health … Read More

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

The month of November is designated as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. The Lung Cancer Awareness Month Coalition is a group of leading international research and advocacy organizations that partner each November in an effort to improve outcomes for lung cancer patients across the world. Unlike many other diseases, with lung cancer, there is a shocking lack of knowledge among both … Read More

What is a ganglioglioma?

A ganglioglioma is a rare type of brain tumor. Tumors are issues that grow more rapidly than normal. Gangliogliomas are types of brain tumors that are made of mixed groups of cells. A cell is the smallest, most basic unit of life, that is capable of existing by itself. Gangliogliomas are partly made of abnormal glial cells. Glial cells are … Read More

Lift jump row for Real Men Wear Pink 2021

What better way to raise important funds for the American Cancer Society’s fight against breast cancer than by breaking a sweat and incorporating a morning of fitness! That’s what happened on Saturday, October 16 at Cross Fit in New Orleans, LA. Over 20 men and women joined the Capitol Imaging Services 2021 Real Men Wearing Pink man, Jeff Beach (pictured … Read More

Diagnostic Imaging Services believes real men wear pink

Real Men Wear Pink is a distinguished group of community leaders raising awareness and funds for this year’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. Together they are making a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Real Men Wear Pink gives men a leadership role in the fight against breast cancer. Community leaders around the nation use the power of … Read More

Positioning inside an MRI

This is an inquiry Capitol Imaging Services associates and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technologists get asked frequently. We thought we would provide a brief answer. Center of the MRI The part of the body that is scanned must be in the center of the scanner tunnel. If the body part being scanned is from the waist down, you will be … Read More

Planning and paying for a diagnostic procedure

Millions of diagnostic exams are performed in the United States each year. However, planning and paying for these often-essential procedures can be confusing and sometimes much more expensive than they need to be. If diagnostic exams were like most consumer products, you could simply compare imaging scan prices online, come up with the funds, and make your purchase. Unfortunately, almost nothing … Read More

How many new cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed annually?

In the United States, between 50,000 and 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed. It is estimated that as many as one million people around the country suffer from the condition. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive movement disorder, meaning that symptoms continue and worsen over time. Nearly one million people in the US are living with Parkinson’s disease. The … Read More

What is the difference between a CT scan and an MRI?

Computed Tomography (CT) scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans both provide diagnostic images of the inside of your body. However, they accomplish this important task in very different ways. Here are a few key differences between CT scans and MRI scans. Radiation CT uses x-ray technology to produce diagnostic images. These x-rays require a small dose of ionizing radiation. … Read More

Don’t pay through the nose!

Capitol Imaging Services says do yourself a favor and breathe easier by choosing us. At one local hospital, according to Medicare, in 2013 the average submitted charge for an MRI without the use of a contrast dye was $3,533.25. The average submitted by Capitol Imaging Services? $1,254 Hospitals and health systems across the country are known for charging exorbitant fees for … Read More

Cognitive impairment after traumatic brain injury linked to brain connectivity disruptions

Diagnostic Imaging Services shares a news report that says cognitive impairment following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common, often adversely affecting quality of life for those 1.7 million Americans who experience a TBI each year. A study recently published in the Journal of International Neuropsychological Society found that individuals who are at least six months post-injury exhibit between-network, long-range … Read More

Thousands more for an ultrasound

Capitol Imaging Services was contacted by a woman who had her doctor recommend an ultrasound due to a condition known as aortic stenosis. However, she told her doctor there was no way she was going to have the test when the hospital told her the cost was $2,870! She had health insurance and therefore the price of $2,870 would be … Read More

Benefits of CT scans may outweigh cancer risk for young adults

Capitol Imaging Services shares an article published a few years ago in which the potential cancer risk that younger adults face from exposure to Computed Tomography (CT) scans pales in comparison to the actual threat posed by health conditions driving the use of the imaging technology, according to a published study. Examining medical records from about 22,000 patients between the … Read More

Why would someone be told they needed a CT scan?

CT (Computed Tomography) scanning is a noninvasive way to study all parts of your body. The technique itself is painless and can provide extremely accurate images. In many instances, a CT scan can decidedly decrease the need to perform surgery and CT scans have vastly improved the ability of doctors to diagnose many diseases earlier in their course and with … Read More

It’s called value

In an era of continued healthcare cost reduction, independent medical providers have an edge: It’s called value. As calls from government and private payers continue for hospitals to trim costs and become more transparent in their pricing, some experts believe the pendulum may swing to favor providers delivering quality care at the best price. The notion flies contrary to the … Read More

Customer service stinks

The above is from a quote in an article about television news personality John Stossel, when he revealed that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. The cancer isn’t really what’s bothering him. It’s the service he was receiving this week at a New York hospital. He wrote: “My doctors tell me my growth was caught early and I’ll be fine,” … Read More

Choosing Capitol Imaging Services from nearly 300 miles away

Capitol Imaging Services was recently contacted by a person who received a recommendation for an MRI. While that is not at all uncommon, it is unique that this individual will be coming to our East Bank facility from nearly 300 miles away. The reason? Our high field open MRI. The person is larger in size and stature, and therefore traditional … Read More

Patient satisfaction results in pizza treat

What did one person decide to do in showing their gratitude for how happy they were with the service and care provided at our Capitol Imaging Services affiliate, Homosassa Open MRI? Calling Little Caesars! Four delicious pies and assorted side items were dropped off for our staff as a way of saying “thank you” for a job very well done … Read More

Three components: patient, doctor and insurance provider

Let’s talk about a term that may be unfamiliar to many people but may cause lots and lots of confusion, aggravation and stress: medical necessity. Medical necessity is defined as “accepted health care services and supplies provided by health care entities, appropriate to the evaluation and treatment of a disease, condition, illness or injury and consistent with the applicable standard … Read More