Worcester County, Massachusetts, residents can enjoy a better deal on MRIs than anywhere else in the state, the Telegram & Gazette reported of a Pioneer Institute study released this week, averaging out-of-pocket costs that rarely exceed $60.
That’s 60 percent below state average, the Telegram wrote, and far from Berkshire County’s average $175. The recent study, led by Pioneer researcher Scott Haller, focused on average out-of-pocket costs for knee MRI services across the state.
The next-cheapest spots for an MRI, according to the data, would be in Hampshire, Essex or Suffolk counties. Bargain-hunters will want to avoid Franklin, Barnstable, Nantucket and Hampden counties, all of which boast out-of-pocket costs of at least $100 per scan.
Haller said out-of-pocket charges are becoming increasingly important to consumers as health insurance premiums—and deductibles—are getting more expensive.
“If the whole state starts choosing lower-cost providers, premiums will start to moderate,” he told the Telegram.
Read the full report below:
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.