How to get an MRI covered by insurance?

Hey there,

I was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is with waiting for an MRI if you're going through insurance?
I've been hearing horror stories about six-month wait times, but then I have this buddy who managed to get his done in just two weeks.

Does anyone happen to know a clinic or a hospital where I could get seen pretty quickly? Honestly, I can't really swing paying out of pocket right now.

Steven Ross2 said:Hey there,

I was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is with waiting for an MRI if you're going through insurance?
I've been hearing horror stories about six-month wait times, but then I have this buddy who managed to get his done in just two weeks.

Does anyone happen to know a clinic or a hospital where I could get seen pretty quickly? Honestly, I can't really swing paying out of pocket right now.

At the Mayo Clinic, I've always had to wait about three to four months.
Last year at a different clinic, I was looking at a nine-month wait; I didn't have that kind of time, so I just paid upfront and my insurance reimbursed me later.
Early last year, I only waited a month at a local imaging center, but I won't be going back there because they misread my scan. 😠

You don't really have any choice but to start calling around.

What part of the body are you getting the MRI for?

If you're looking to get an MRI in San Francisco at the Mayo Clinic, you're stuck waiting a whole month, so good luck if you actually have the patience to travel...

Things are looking up a bit now—give the Mayo Clinic a call.

Steven Ross2 said:Hey there,

I was wondering if anyone knows what the deal is with waiting for an MRI if you're going through insurance?
I've been hearing horror stories about six-month wait times, but then I have this buddy who managed to get his done in just two weeks.

Does anyone happen to know a clinic or a hospital where I could get seen pretty quickly? Honestly, I can't really swing paying out of pocket right now.

You definitely won't have to wait at Mayo Clinic; they scheduled my brain MRI for February 2011 when I requested it in March of last year!😍

At Mayo Clinic, the wait was about three months, but most other private clinics I called that offer radiology don't even accept insurance. If you're willing to pay cash, you can usually grab a spot in just a few days $667😉...that's just the way things work here in the States.

I’d definitely suggest using UnitedHealth Group in Chicago. If you're going through a referral, you’re looking at a wait time of maybe three months at most.