Goal-driven fighter for health and social justice. Campaign manager, @RandyDaleDowns for Ward 2, former @FamiliesUSA. Michigander, Ward 2 DC 
Personal tweets.
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Today in my personal health care story: I have realized for CT scans and MRIs, my copay is $200 cheaper if I go to a freestanding radiology center instead of the one affiliated with the hospital. Sadly, in the past 3 years, I have gotten 3 expensive tests at the hospital.
Now I need another MRI. Do I go to a freestanding center and hope the results can reach my doctor as seamlessly as they do when I use the hospital radiology center, which is in the same system as my doctor? Or do I pay an extra $200?
I have a graduate degree in health policy. My doctor is amazing and talks to me about the value and cost-effectiveness of every option in my care. But this never came up until I was already 3 expensive tests in.
My plan representitive was amazingly helpful over the phone 
But I was on hold over 10 minutes to talk to them. Then I called my doctors office and waited 10 minutes to talk to them.
I have to make the external radiology appt, call back my doc (10 min hold again) and give them a FAX number (in 2019) for the external radiology center so my doc can fax them my MRI order. Then the MRI happens and I pray the external radiology center faxes the results to my doc
In conclusion, this is not workable for people. The ONLY reason I am entertaining this is because I have the day off (sad way to spend it but there’s no WAY I or any working person would have time for this on a work day). Also, it’s complicated and is risking care coordination.
All this reinforces for me is that even the so-called “shoppable” services are not shoppable in our health care system. Consumers can’t fix the problem of unaffordable care and unreasonable prices. We need policy for that. /end
I wrote about my personal experience with this back in 2016. Not easy to shop, even for an MRI. https://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160822/BLOG/160829987 …
And almost all of them are significantly higher in price in institutional settings or when the physician has a financial interest in the setting.
Well now I know who I can call the next time I need someone to talk about the cost of freestanding centers.
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