A new study in Health Policy and Technology shows that patients are surprisingly unclear on how much their imaging exams will cost them. Researchers found that few knew their imaging facilities had price estimator tools and even fewer were aware of their out-of-pocket estimates.
The U.S. government has been trying to make healthcare more transparent and understandable for patients through a variety of new rules it’s implemented in recent years, such as “information blocking” rules that prevent providers from withholding patient data.
- In 2021, CMS required health systems to notify patients of out-of-pocket expenses and make available tools for estimating prices.
But how knowledgeable are patients about these initiatives?
- Researchers from UC Irvine and the University of Michigan surveyed 423 patients scheduled for CT, PET/CT, or MRI scans in Southern California to find out how much they knew about their out-of-pocket costs.
Researchers discovered that …
- Only 11% of patients were aware of their out-of-pocket estimates before getting their scans.
- Only 17% knew their imaging facilities had price estimator tools.
- 53% said their illness has been a financial hardship, but only 34% were worried about their out-of-pocket costs for imaging.
- No patient used the hospital’s estimator tool.
- Patients were less likely to know their out-of-pocket costs if they had lower income (<$50,000), more financial hardship, and no comorbidities.
The results show that, two years after out-of-pocket transparency rules went into effect, patients are still unclear on their imaging costs.
- This is a major problem due to the high variation in imaging prices that’s been documented in other studies, such as 2023 research that found MRI scans ranging in price from $878 to $3,403.
More outreach could help patients better understand costs.
- Such outreach could be made through automated calls or even messages through patient portals prior to their exams.
The Takeaway
The new study – when coupled with recent research on patient reports – shows that radiology still has a ways to go when it comes to keeping patients informed about their imaging exams. Getting patients more involved not only will have economic benefits, but could also help patients participate in their own care.
