Your Guide to Getting the Best Price on Expensive Medical Procedures

Screenings for colon cancer are an important aspect of preventative healthcare. If you don’t have health insurance, there are still ways to acquire this life-saving screening at a low cost:

1. Compare colonoscopy costs in your area.

2. ColoscopyAssist is a service that provides low-cost colonoscopies in 35 U.S.  states. One may be near you.

3. Learn about financial assistance from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.
4. Instead of going to the hospital, go to a less expensive ambulatory surgery center.
5. Inquire about a self-pay discount and payment plan with your gastroenterologist.

Colonoscopies can cost as much as $3,000—even with conventional healthcare coverage. But you may cut your costs to as low as $1,000 by shopping around.

Although a colonoscopy may appear to be expensive, most people only need one every 10 years. And the financial cost of a colonoscopy is insignificant when compared to the potential financial and emotional impact of colon cancer treatment.

The cost of mammography is determined by the type of procedure you have as well as other factors such as your geographic location. Depending on where you live, a 2D mammography might cost anywhere from $100 to $400. A 3D mammography is considerably more expensive.

How to get a mammogram at a low cost

You may be eligible for free or low-cost screenings if you meet these qualifications:

• You don’t have health insurance or your health insurance doesn’t cover screening exams.
• Your annual income is 250% or less of the federal poverty threshold.
• You are between 40 and 64 years of age for breast cancer screening.
• For cervical cancer screening, you must be between the ages of 21 and 64.

Low-cost mammograms are also available through the following programs and clinics:

1. For women who satisfy specific criteria, the CDC’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free or low-cost mammograms.
2. To discover low-cost testing near you, call the Susan G. Komen Breast Care Helpline at 1-877-465-6636.
3. Breast exams are available at Planned Parenthood, as well as referrals to mammography centers.

Breast exams increase the likelihood of early detection of breast cancer. Breast cancer is easier to treat the earlier it is discovered.

An abdominal ultrasound often costs $200-$650 or more for those without health insurance, depending on the practitioner and where you live.

Ultrasound services are available at some clinics. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a database of clinics that offer sliding-scale discounts based on income. Uninsured and self-pay patients can receive savings of up to 30% or more at hospitals and imaging centers.

Your family doctor may be able to make a referral to a hospital or imaging center near you. Or you can try the American College of Radiology’s ZIP code locator. In ultrasound operations, all facilities are ACR-accredited.

If you’re one of the 28 million people in the United States who don’t have health insurance, shopping around for pharmaceuticals is critical.

Websites such as GoodRx, Optum, Blink Health, and Amazon Pharmacy can help you find discounts. Liberty HealthShare also offers members a similar program: HealthShareRx.

According to the GoodRx research team, prices for nearly 670 medications increased already this year. They climbed by an average of 5% this year, including generics.

While you can’t use GoodRx in conjunction with your insurance to reduce your cost, it may be less expensive than your co-pay — especially if you have a high deductible health plan (HDHP).