How to Schedule an MRI Appointment

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners employ powerful magnetic fields to render highly detailed images of a patient’s inner body. Your doctor may prescribe an MRI if they need to scan your joints, blood vessels, heart, and other internal structures for medical issues. 

The results of an MRI scan can be used to help diagnose conditions, plan treatments and assess how effective previous treatment has been. Scheduling an MRI can be a complex process, depending on various factors, including your preferred payment method, when you want to be seen, and the type of exam ordered.  To learn more about Medmo’s scheduling process and how to make it as simple as possible, continue reading. 

Scheduling Process

Before booking your MRI, you need to decide where you want your scan done. With MRIs, you have the option of going to a hospital or an outpatient imaging center; Medmo works to schedule you with imaging centers as they usually provide better prices and availability. 

To start your scan request, you will need to provide us with a copy of your referring physician’s order (prescription). If you choose to use health insurance to pay for your MRI, you may also need to have your provider information (if applicable) on hand. Once you have identified the type of facility where you want to get your MRI, find one with a location that best suits your needs. Some people prefer a location closer to their home or place of work, while others care more about specific neighborhoods.

After you have entered this information on our website, our Medmo Care Team will work with you or your referring provider to determine whether prior authorization from your health insurance provider is required. If it is required, we continue to work with your referring provider’s office to make sure your insurer approves the exam and confirms it will be covered. 

Depending on the insurer, that confirmation can be obtained in anywhere from mere minutes to multiple days.  We will check back regularly throughout each business day on the status of any pending authorizations.

Our staff can proceed to match you with the best provider once it knows both the type of exam prescribed and all pertinent information from the insurer, including how much the patient will be expected to pay out of pocket for the procedure.

When We Call 

When booking an MRI scan, we will call to confirm the information you have provided is correct and find imaging centers that match your criteria. Sometimes the process is easy, and we will come back with a confirmation within the hour. Other times, we may need to follow up if there is information missing from your request (prescription, dates available, location range). During these follow-ups, we will also fully detail the patient’s financial responsibility for the procedure.  

The expected payment from the patient depends on the applicable insurance deductible, along with any required co-pays or coinsurance payments. With that information and the explanation of benefits from the health insurance provider, we can give a clear preview of what the patient must pay at the time of service. This also applies to patients forgoing a health insurance claim and paying out of pocket for their MRI. Patients who opt for out-of-pocket payment will be charged a deposit fee at the time of booking. They will pay the remainder of their balance to the imaging center on the day of their scan. Patients booking through insurance do not have to pay anything during the time of booking. 

After booking

Once your scan appointment is set, you may need to answer a series of medical screening questions from the imaging center. This is done to ensure that it is safe for each patient to complete an MRI. When potential issues arise during this screening process, one of our certified radiology technologists may provide a consult to determine if the patient can safely undergo an MRI. If a problem does come up, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss any changes that need to be made. 

Try to arrive 15 minutes early to complete any necessary paperwork, and complete a bit of research to better understand what to expect during an MRI. 

To book a scan, visit us at Medmo.com. Medmo helps people schedule radiology imaging tests – such as MRI, CT scans, PET, and more – at nearby accredited centers and identify the payment solution that works best for them.