Need an X-ray? This Trick Could Save You $1,500 or More.

Did you take a tumble from your bike? Or slip on the wet kitchen floor? Accidents happen—and sometimes they leave you with pain that sends you limping to the doctor. When you arrive, there’s a good chance you’ll need an x-ray to get to the bottom of the problem.

X-rays are powerful diagnostic tools that use beams of low-level radiation to produce images of your bones, organs, or tissues. Those pictures can tell your doctor a lot about bone fractures, tumors, signs of pneumonia, and more.

But how much you spend depends on where you choose to have the scan done. Here’s what you should know about getting the best price.

Understanding the cost of an x-ray

Price comparison tools such as those by Guroo and ClearHealthCosts can give you a snapshot of what you can expect to pay when you go in for a medical test or procedure.

One of these tools, Turqoise Health, provides specific prices at nearby providers. If you use it to search for an ankle x-ray in Gainesville, Florida, you’ll see that a local hospital offers the service for $1,825.

But with that same search, you’ll also see that several facilities offer the procedure for less than $200.

So what’s the difference between the expensive x-rays and the low-cost ones? Well, nothing, says Touré McCluskey. He’s co-founder and chief product officer of Redu Health, which compiles healthcare pricing data for use in cost comparison tools. “Except for some very specialized x-rays, it’s a commodity that’s basically the same wherever you get it done.”

In 2018, U.S. hospitals performed about 153 million x-rays, according to the medical market research firm IMV. That’s about 33% more than the number of CT scans, MRIs, and PET scans combined.

And while some x-ray machines live inside bigger buildings with better reading material in the waiting room, the people who perform the x-rays have all undergone the same training and state licensing. They scan you using the same technology, and when they’re done, they send the results to your attending doctor.

So paying more money doesn’t lead to better x-rays. “There’s no correlation between price and the quality of care,” says Caitlin Donovan, senior director of the National Patient Advocate Foundation.

How do you get a better price on your x-ray?

Price tools, such as those mentioned above, are a good place to start. But here are a few more strategies you can use in real time—starting in the exam room.

1. Ask your doctor which local provider has the best price

If you’re nervous about talking to doctors about money, don’t be. They are experts who understand how the medical system works, and they may be able to point you to a nearby imaging clinic that does hundreds of low-cost x-rays a day.

2. Call your insurance rep

Another way to get help finding a low-cost x-ray is to call the number on the back of your insurance card. Tell the rep that your doctor has recommended an x-ray and that you’re looking for a low-cost provider in your network.

3. Drive to the nearest freestanding imaging clinic

Here’s something you can count on: Hospitals will generally always have the highest prices. A report from National Nurses United found that the average hospital price markup was 417%, with many hospitals marking up services by more than 1,000%.

But if you drive to your nearest freestanding imaging center—meaning one that isn’t associated with a hospital system—you’ll most likely pay less.

“If you go to an imaging center instead, they’re almost always much cheaper,” says McCluskey. “The hospital might say theirs are better than the freestanding clinic’s, but there’s no independent assessment to show that’s true. When it comes to imaging, higher cost doesn’t mean higher value.”

And freestanding imaging clinics don’t just charge less. They’re often more convenient too. Because there are so many of them, you may find one that’s relatively close to your house. “There are so many choices available,” says Donovan. “The average person will pass three to five imaging centers on the way to the place their doctor sent them.”

So are you willing to find a new location to save $1,500 or more? Consider this: If you haven’t hit your deductible for the year, the cost of your medical care is still coming out of your pocket. And even if you have, you may still be responsible for coinsurance. (If you’re paying 20% of the bill, you still want the lowest possible price.)

With the right tools and the motivation to find a dedicated imaging center, you’ll be sure to save money.

Additional sources
Hospital markups: National Nurses United (2020). “Fleecing patients”
2018 x-ray stats: IMV (2019). “2019 X-ray/DR/CR Outlook Report”