Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is rolling out a shopper program that “allows members to choose, based on quality and cost, the diagnostic imaging facility where their services are rendered.”
Beginning July 1, 2017, the AIM Specialty Care Shopper program introduced to their individual Preferred Care PPO and HMO Louisiana, Inc. members for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) services.
Capitol Imaging Services applauds this new service by the health insurance company. For years, we have written, advertised and blogged about the uber-high cost of imaging exams such as MRI and CT at local hospital and health systems. Recently, local news organization took up the mantle with a series of reports on what many considered outrageous charges for not only imaging tests, but also for other health related services such as blood work and office visits. Hospitals and health systems are often unwilling to discuss prices and charges with people, saying that it is confidential information between them and the insurance companies.
Well, this type of service may help to start unmasking that secretive and complex world. And, people who pay for health insurance should expect such services from the insurer so that they can get the quality of care needed at much more affordable costs.
Capitol Imaging Services has worked diligently to make the world of imaging prices much more transparent. Our experienced and extensive patient financial services department works daily to verify insurance benefits and identify any potential fees that would be the responsibility of the person having the exam to pay. We understand that more and more people have high deductible health insurance plans where benefits don’t kick in until thousands of dollars have been paid to fulfill the large deductible. That’s why DIS strongly encourages people to seek out independently-owned health services providers, from imaging to physician private practices, who almost always will save people money via lower charges for health care.
We hope other health insurance entities will follow suit and come out with their own cost identification programs. Because we offer the same, if not better, quality than local hospitals, people who choose DIS do not incur a lower level of care in order to save money. As hard as it might believe for many, in health care people can truly experience both quality and lower cost.
But do not take our word for it. Click here for one of many articles found on the high cost of hospital imaging services. It’s an epidemic found all around the U.S.
Know your Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code for your test(s). Know before you go as to what the potential cost may be. Avoid the surprises. And remember… at Capitol Imaging Services, it is one price for everything we do. Not so at the hospital.
Charge after charge after charge….
Choose Capitol Imaging Services. We are doctor trusted and patient preferred.