Health insurance demystified – MRI scans and health insurance

Posted by: Inform's Conor Sligo on 30 September 2008

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses a large magnet and low energy radio waves to produce detailed, clear images of the head and body. It’s an extremely useful technique – the images can be used by a specialist to view parts of the body and help with diagnosis (for example identify tumors, check for brain abnormalities, or view bone problems).

MRIs are painless and there aren’t any known side effects - but they’re not fun. The main problem is the loud clanging sound the magnets produce (though a lot of hospitals will provide earphones with music which helps!). Also being in an MRI machine can make some people feel claustrophobic.

Is it covered by health insurance?
MRIs can be costly (well over thousand dollars is usual), and sometimes more than one MRI is needed. Most good health insurance plans will pay for MRIs – and the claim limits are usually nice and high, so cover is usually not a problem.

What do I do if I need one?
If your GP or specialist mentions that you might need an MRI, let us know as soon as possible. We’ll get a claim form to you and then ask the health insurer for ‘prior approval’ – meaning that you need to pay nothing - the health insurance provider pays for the MRI directly.