HELP!! The MRI scan imaging READING center is NOT in – network! (US)

Hi all,

I have MRI brain scan tomorrow. The scan cos itself is about $210 after the insurance, but today when they called me for the appointment confirmation, they said there is a reading cost separately because it's done by a third party. I called the third party radiology center, got the NPI number, called my insurance to find out that the outsourced reading center is NOT in-network with my insurance and I have to pay $355…I called the first imagine center again and they said they outsource the reading to that place only and no one else…I realize why this imagine center is so cheaper because they don't do the scan interpretation! I wish i had known because I assumed that the reading cost was bundled up.

What should I do? I am a piss poor graduate student with only 18K salary. Is there a way to keep the scan for myself without interpretation so that I can hopefully find somewhere else to read it at less cost?

submitted by /u/calcetines100
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