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Schedule Your Own MRI Without A Doctor's Order For Less Than $400

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

When you're living with chronic pain in your knees, back, shoulders, joints, or any part of your body, relief can't come soon enough.

Unfortunately, dealing with the healthcare system can be a pain all on its own. According to a 2017 survey of physician appointment wait times, it takes an average of 24 days to schedule your first appointment with a doctor. And once you finally secure that appointment, there's no guarantee that your insurance company will cover the care you need.

But what if there was a way to bypass the headaches of waiting for an open appointment or dealing with the insurance hassle?

In many cases, your road to recovery may be much shorter with the right imaging—specifically magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). And that's why one Utah doctor is working hard to make MRIs easier and more affordable, so you can get back to full health as quickly as possible.

Expedite the healing process with an MRI

At TaylorMED MRI, you don't have to bother with doctor visits, deductibles, co-pays and pre-authorizations. You don't even need a doctor's order. They offer quick and affordable MRI scans, with same-day scheduling and walk-ins available.

MRI is the best imaging modality to diagnose soft tissue and bone injuries. With MRIs, doctors can diagnose patients faster and start necessary treatments sooner. An MRI can evaluate the source of headaches or dizziness, look for causes of bone or muscle pain, and even screen for cancer.

If you're wondering whether or not you might benefit from an MRI, you can check out TaylorMED MRI's full list of services.

Save time and money

When you're in pain, nothing is more frustrating than having to wait several weeks for an appointment — or several hours once you're finally in the office. That's why TaylorMED offers low-cost, cash-pay pricing for as little as $399 an area. Since they don't require a doctor's order, they can help you save money by skipping initial visits with primary care doctors and avoiding the costs of x-rays and other costly diagnostic services.

Once you have your MRI results, you'll have a better idea of where to go next — whether that's a visit to a surgeon, a physical therapist, or your primary care doctor.

Avoid the insurance runaround

Aside from saving time and money, your visit to TaylorMED MRI is worth it if only to avoid the pain of dealing with insurance. The insurance hassle causes headaches for both patients and doctors alike.

A recent poll conducted by Aimed Alliance found that nearly half (48%) of doctors were considering a career change because of their frustrations over insurer policies and delays. 87% of doctors say patients' conditions have grown worse because of insurance "red-tape regulations," and 83% worry that patients suffer prolonged pain because of it. 91% of doctors surveyed believed health insurance policies delayed necessary care for patients.

If you've ever had to get treatments or procedures pre-approved, you know that working with insurance can be confusing and frustrating. And some insurance carriers may deny your request for an MRI. But with the TaylorMED low cash price, you can still get the imaging you need without breaking the bank.

In fact, patient Robin Oler had that exact problem. "After being denied by my insurance for an MRI for chronic back pain, I found Taylormed. So glad I did! Way more affordable, they fit me in immediately and I had my results back the same day!"

Schedule your MRI today and be on your way to a healthier you

Say goodbye to the hassle of insurance headaches and long doctor's office wait times. At TaylorMED MRI, you don't have to wait several weeks to get the imaging you need. Most MRIs happen within a couple of days, if not the same day. Consultation options are available so you can get immediate answers. This includes a meeting with the radiologist immediately following your scan or even a phone call within 90 minutes of your exam.

Whether or not you choose a consultation option, you'll receive an email within 24 hours with the official radiology report, which you can then take to your healthcare provider for further treatment or therapy if necessary. It's also close to the end of the year, which means you should use your flex spending account or health savings account to pay for the MRI scan.

With locations in Salt Lake City and Lindon, TaylorMED MRI makes it easy and convenient to schedule an appointment. TaylorMED MRI is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.M. To 5 p.M. With extended hours on some evenings for those who can't make it during the daytime. They are also now open on Saturday mornings.

For those who live in the northern part of the state, there will be a new clinic opening in Farmington on Park Lane near Station Park in April 2023.

You can go online to book your time, or schedule over the phone by calling 385-831-7674. Within minutes, you'll be on your way to a healthier, happier you.

Finding A Primary Care Provider

In addition to the criteria above, there are a few other things to keep in mind when choosing your doctor for family medicine, pediatrics, women's health, or men's health.

Clinic Location

Choose a primary care doctor who practices in a location that is convenient. That could be a place close to where you live, or may be a clinic that is close to where you work if you think most of your visits will take place during daytime hours. Some physicians and APCs also practice in multiple clinic locations, so you may be able to find a provider who can see you in clinics near your home and your work.

Clinic Hours

Another important thing to check is the hours a clinic is open to see patients. If you have a hard time getting in during "regular" business hours, finding a clinic that has extended morning, evening, and weekend appointments can fit your lifestyle better. This makes it more likely you will be able to get in to see your doctor not only when you are sick, but also for regular check-ups.

Appointment Availability

Before choosing a primary care provider, find out if he or she is accepting new patients. If yes, find out how long it usually takes to get a new appointment. Clinics that have a wait time of several weeks or even months to see a doctor might not be the best choice for every patient, especially those who need to see a doctor frequently for urgent or acute care. Find out if the clinic offers same-day or next-day appointments in case you need to get in for an urgent visit when you get sick. Many of our primary care physicians leave slots open on their schedule for same-day or next-day appointments.

Some doctors also see patients virtually through our Virtual Care services. These visits offer convenient hours and same-day availability for non-emergency care through your smartphone, tablet, or computer.

Certifications and Training

Check the doctor's credentials—not just the type of degree that he or she has, but also whether they stay up-to-date on the latest advances and changes in medicine through board certification or affiliation with groups like:

American Academy of Family Physicians

American Academy of Pediatrics

American College of Physicians

American Geriatrics Society

Your Ability to Connect with the Provider

Along with finding a physician or APC who is competent and skilled at what they do, it's important that you feel comfortable with him or her. During your first visit:

Make sure the provider communicates with you in a way you understand.

Make sure you feel comfortable asking questions and discussing your health concerns.

Find out how you can communicate with the doctor's office. Many offer electronic communication through an online patient portal to make it easy to ask simple questions, receive lab results, or get medication refills between appointments.

Evaluate the staff in the office (like nurses, medical assistants, and receptionists) to ensure you are comfortable with them, since you will talk to them to schedule appointments, help with medication refills, and more.

What Is Direct Primary Care, And How Much Does It Cost?

Sandy Thompson stopped working and qualified for Medicare based on disability at age 47 because of, as she puts it, "so many complicated [health] issues." Now 61 years old, she's been on Medicare Part A since then, and she started Medicare Part B in April when her husband retired.

Thompson's doctor is an hour away from her home in Waltham, Massachusetts, and he doesn't accept Medicare. But when she describes the situation as "great" and "convenient," she's not being sarcastic.

"I feel spoiled," Thompson says about her health care from Dr. Jeffrey Gold, who opened a direct primary care practice in 2015. He offers long appointments and guaranteed next-day scheduling, but he doesn't bill insurance. Instead, his patients pay a subscription fee that covers his practice's services.

"I feel like he knows her," says Audra Snow, Sandy's daughter, who goes with her mother to appointments. Snow says that Dr. Gold knows her mother's health history, whereas other doctors are typically running in and out without much follow-up.

Older adults and people managing chronic conditions might be interested in direct primary care because it offers the potential for more time and help from health care providers. But Medicare won't pay for it, so it's another out-of-pocket cost.

Here's what Medicare beneficiaries need to know about direct primary care.

More: What you need to know about Medicare

What is direct primary care?

Direct primary care, or DPC, is an alternative to paying for health care with traditional health insurance. It generally involves these three elements:

Patients pay a subscription or monthly fee.

Services are covered mostly or entirely by the subscription fee. There aren't individual charges for each service.

Providers don't bill third parties like health insurance companies for services.

DPC arrangements don't cover all health care. They cover primary care; broadly speaking, that means outpatient services like office visits, treatment for common illnesses, screenings, and other general health and wellness services.

Primary care doesn't include other health care services, such as specialist visits, surgeries, laboratory tests, inpatient hospital care and medications. DPC arrangements typically don't cover these services.

There are about 1,600 direct primary care practices caring for more than 300,000 patients across 48 states, according to the Direct Primary Care Coalition, an advocacy group representing the industry.

Also see: Do you know about these changes to Medicare? Here are 7 key updates for 2023.

How do direct primary care appointments work?

The idea behind DPC is that doctors can devote more of their time and effort to patients, delivering better and more cost-effective care because they don't have to deal with complicated billing and insurance requirements.

"Primary care and certain chronic diseases are about a relationship," says Gold. Like many DPC doctors, he sees a relatively smaller number of patients — about 700, compared to an estimated 1,200 to 1,900 for most primary care physicians, according to a 2016 literature review published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

Because DPC providers see fewer patients, they can spend more time with them — 30 to 60 minutes per appointment, whereas the typical primary care visit lasts an average of 18 minutes, according to a study published in Medical Care in 2021.

What does direct primary care cost?

The average monthly fee for an adult is between $65 and $85, depending on age, according to a 2020 market survey of about 200 DPC providers conducted by Milliman Inc. For the Society of Actuaries.

Because fees tend to go up according to age, older adults on Medicare tend to be at or above the high end of that average. Here are a handful of real-world examples of DPC providers' advertised fees for patients age 65 and older:

Dr. Gold charges $150 a month.

Elevated Health of Huntington Beach, California, charges $125 a month.

Dedicated Family Care of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, charges $110 a month.

Some practices also charge one-time registration or enrollment fees, which often cost about $100 per person.

Additional charges for covered services are rare. About 1 in 10 DPC practices charges per-visit fees for covered services on top of their monthly fees, according to the Milliman market survey.

Plus: Can you save money on Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs site? And how does it work with Medicare?

Does direct primary care work with Medicare?

Medicare won't cover your membership fee for a direct primary care arrangement.

Many DPC providers don't accept Medicare or any other insurance for services. For Medicare, this is called "opting out." Medicare won't reimburse you for any services from a provider who opts out unless it's an emergency.

You can't use Medicare to pay for DPC, but you can still use Medicare to pay for covered services from other providers. For example, you might get all of your primary care from a DPC practice, but you could use Medicare Part A to cover a hospitalization or major surgery.

Medicare Part A is a good fit alongside DPC because it's free for most people, so you're not paying any extra premiums for the coverage. After a deductible of $1,600 in 2023, Medicare Part A covers inpatient services, and there's no copay until you've been in the hospital for more than 60 days.

Also read: 13 must-dos for your preretirement checklist

How direct primary care affects your Medicare coverage

Using direct primary care doesn't change what Medicare does or doesn't cover, but it might influence the choices you make about your Medicare coverage. Because Medicare Part A is free for most people, there's probably no reason not to use Part A along with DPC. Beyond that, it gets a little trickier.

Medicare Part B — which covers outpatient services, but not direct primary care — isn't free. There's a significant monthly premium: $164.90 per month in 2023, whether you use it or not, and you still owe that premium if you sign up for Medicare Advantage.

You could opt out of Medicare Part B to avoid paying the premium, but there could be a penalty for doing so. Going without Medicare Part B or similar qualifying coverage from an employer after you become eligible for Medicare means you'd owe steep, permanent penalties if you ever sign up for Part B in the future.

DPC memberships don't cover prescription drugs, so a Medicare Part D plan can be a good way to get prescription drug coverage. Some DPC practices dispense certain medications at wholesale prices, but those arrangements don't count as prescription drug coverage, which Medicare beneficiaries need to maintain in order to avoid the Medicare Part D penalty.

Also on MarketWatch: Forget pickleball and golf. These communities centered around farms or gardens are redefining retirement

Is direct primary care a good idea for Medicare beneficiaries?

Direct primary care could be a good option if you're looking for a health care provider who can spend more time working closely with you and you can afford the membership fees.

There are several considerations that Medicare beneficiaries should note when considering direct primary care:

Most DPC practices charge their highest fees for older patients, so make sure you can afford the monthly expense.

You'll probably need to rely on other coverage to pay for hospital care, prescription drugs and services not covered by a DPC contract.

You'll need to pay for both Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D to avoid their respective late enrollment penalties, even if you're not using them to pay for services or medications.

In short, using direct primary care could be a way to get more hands-on care, but it requires a subscription fee on top of what you pay for your Medicare coverage. Whether it's worth it for you depends on what value you put on the closer relationship with a DPC provider.

This article was written with the support of a journalism fellowship from The Gerontological Society of America, the Journalists Network on Generations and the Silver Century Foundation.

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