Explain like I’m European.
In: Other
You also pay for the analyst time, depending on where you live. But yes, it’s still unrealistically expensive given the operating cost. It’s free where I live if you use the public health system, or you can pay to go privately if there is a time constraint.
The machine itself can cost $1 million, so it takes quite awhile to pay that initial cost off. But the cost also includes the cost of the contrast dye they use, administrative staff, nurses, the medical personnel who interpret the results of the scan, and any number of other things. That certainly all adds up to more than $50-75.
It’s also because the American healthcare system is for profit. Any opportunity to get more money will be exploited.
There are a ton of mouths to feed for that MRI. You need to factor in all the true costs. It’s insanely expensive because the health care industry has some really hungry big mouths to feed.
Costs include:
* Running the MRI/Facility Fee.
* Radiation technologist to run it.
* Potentially placing an IV for contrast, giving contrast, and the cost of the contrast, and potentially point of care lab work for such.
* Radiologist to read/interpret the MRI.
But the real answer is because thats what the hospital can charge
US insurance will generally pay it. if the machine is new, part of the fee will go to paying off the machine. you then have the operator fee and the radiologist fee, along with whatever profit margin is built in (which can range from reasonable to extortion rate).
Two aspects.
The actual costs are the original purchase price amortized over the lifetime of the equipment, plus the time from the analyst and tech operating it.
Second, then *price* is whatever the market will bear. The cost to the hospital has nothing to do with it.
The machine has to be purchased and they’re extremely expensive. It takes 30-60 minutes to take the MRI. A nurse has to be trained to use the machine and paid to run your scan. A doctor has to be trained to read the scan, tell you the results (and generally come up with a treatment plan).
They also need to build or rent a room/building where they can keep the machine. The machine needs maintenance.
I’m not justifying the $3500, these are just all costs that aren’t included in the operational cost (which I’m assuming you mean turning on the machine and running a scan).
An MRI machine costs $150,000 to $1.25 million, depending on the machine. Some of the fee goes towards the initial cost of the machine.
My last MRI cost me about $25 and insurance picked up the remainder which was $300.
Technician time, doctor time, institute base costs, MRI machine purchase/maintenance costs, profit margin, to name a few
Well, there are salaries for the employees, the people that run, process, read and maintain the machine need to be paid, and they need a fairly high paycheck.
An MRI isn’t a toy, it can cost upwards of 800k€ very often, there’s also the fact that they need a whole room and there has to be enough electricity to run it.
The Mri itself is an investment, they’re looking to 1.Pay it off, 2.Use it to pay the employees and still get something left, that’s profit.
And the element X, market price, it’s theirs, if you want to use it you pay how much they ask, otherwise find competition.
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