luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,421 
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Post by luvnlifelady on Feb 15, 2016 21:42:09 GMT
I've had some pretty significant pain off/on and now they want to do an MRI of my knee. I've never had one and was shocked when they told me the co-pay is going to be $520. An xray didn't show anything unusual. I'm worried it will be inconclusive and not really give us any answers and I will have spent the money for nothing.
If you've had one, did it help pinpoint the problem? I know we have a high deductible plan, but the price still shocked me. I realize it's expensive to do it but I guess I just wasn't prepared for how much the insurance doesn't cover for. Ouch!
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Post by Basket1lady on Feb 15, 2016 21:53:51 GMT
I was told that CTs are better for more dense problems, but MRIs better for soft tissue issues.
I had a mass in my brain that was inconclusive, found via CT. They wanted an MRI to get a better view; they determined that the MRI was necessary because it would show different things.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Feb 15, 2016 22:02:57 GMT
Well we've had several in our family. It pinpointed the torn ACL, MCL and assorted other tendon issues. Did you injure your knee or is more likely a chronic issue. I'm not sure how well it does with pinpointing arthritis.
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Post by Patter on Feb 15, 2016 22:07:03 GMT
My daughter had an MRI for her luxating patella. The orthopedic surgeon saw everything she needed with that MRI.
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kate
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,516
Location: The city that doesn't sleep
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Feb 15, 2016 22:15:02 GMT
I had one on my knee. It showed the extent of the cartilage damage.
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luvnlifelady
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,421
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Post by luvnlifelady on Feb 15, 2016 22:32:19 GMT
Well we've had several in our family. It pinpointed the torn ACL, MCL and assorted other tendon issues. Did you injure your knee or is more likely a chronic issue. I'm not sure how well it does with pinpointing arthritis. I've had chronic problems with the kneecap dislocating but it hasn't happened in years. However, I did something to it either hiking a steep (small) canyon or somewhat tripping over the curb. I can walk ok, but lateral movement sometimes hurts to the point of making me feel faint. Also, any bending is a problem and other types of things like that. I am very tentative on it despite having a brace. |
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Post by compwalla on Feb 15, 2016 22:33:16 GMT
I agree - for soft tissue issues the MRI is the best. And ouch at your cost share. I am grateful to have two insurances so my imaging is usually zero co-pay. I dunno how we'd afford all this if I was on the hook for my high deductible at work plus the 20 - 40% cost share my treatments have cost. I'm up to ~half a million dollars billed and *knock wood* we've only had to pay nominal cost shares. The biggest expense for us has been travel back and forth to the big cancer center in Dallas. (It's five hours away so it's always an overnight stay.)
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Post by StacyinUT on Feb 16, 2016 3:37:15 GMT
Xray didn't show my meniscus tear or the amount of arthritis that was found in my MRI.
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Post by Scrapbrat on Feb 16, 2016 13:24:25 GMT
DH had continuing problems with one of his knees, x-ray did not show anything and the various treatments he tried did not work. Finally they did an MRI and he did have a meniscus tear that he ended up having repaired surgically. However, during surgery they also discovered what the surgeon called a cartilage lesion on his knee that had not shown up on the x-ray OR on the MRI. So yes, overall, the MRI for him was worth it. That is a huge amount of money to pay out of pocket, though!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 5, 2024 0:23:38 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2016 13:38:56 GMT
I hurt my knee a couple years ago. It was a very serious stress fracture (the doctor described it as the second worst of his career). I was first given several x-rays in the ER, then a CT a few days later, and THEN an MRI... It was not until the MRI that they really could see the big problem. I do not know why the x-ray and CT did not capture the pictures they needed.
adding.... They were so shocked by the MRI, at first they questioned if there was some mix up with the images because it should have shown up on the x-ray in the emergency room. The ER doctor treated me like I was a drama queen because there was "nothing seriously wrong"...
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Post by anonrefugee on Feb 16, 2016 14:37:57 GMT
My DH is going through this right now! If he gets knee MRI at the sports doc it's going to be over $500. We love the specialist, have been there for sons' emergency injuries. But DH is ongoing pain, not an emergency.
If he has MRI done at image center with our regular docs/hospital it will be $200. But we don't know if it will be enough, if they'll say it needs to be done again, etc.
I think he should bite the bullet but have to wait until his pain surpassed his skinflintiness.
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Post by SnowWhite on Feb 16, 2016 15:30:19 GMT
I've had multiple MRIs on my knees, and X-rays. X-rays give the doctor a base, but they need the MRI to see all the details. And yes, your co-pay for that sucks. Could be worse, wait until they ask for an MRI with Contrast. That will be much more expensive  |
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