Think back to a time in the early 2000’s when people first started booking their travel online with websites like Expedia and Hotels.com. It took a bit of time before some people felt comfortable with the new process. They were used to comparing, booking and paying for travel over the phone with airlines, hotels and travel agents. The same apprehension was at play with EBay and online banking, but now paying for goods and services online is second nature. By 2012, you could buy just about everything online, except as it turned out, health care procedures. We decided to change that.
Save On Medical is simple to use. We are an online market place for medical procedures where patients can shop and compare the cost, quality and/or convenience of medical providers in their area. Think of Save On Medical as the Expedia for medical procedures like MRIs, Mammograms or colonoscopies.
We can help you save money on your medical bills in 7 easy steps:
- Search Providers
- Compare Prices
- Check Quality
- Request Appointment
- Schedule Time
- Pay Online
- Show Up
Search: Select the procedure you need from the drop down menu and type in your zip code then click “Search”. If your script requires contrast, don’t worry; we’ll get that information later.
Compare Prices: The average cost for the procedure will be listed at the top of the page, under which will be the list of providers in your area and their prices will be listed on the right side. These prices are all-inclusive* and no additional bills or charges will be included. That’s right, no additional reading fees or charges for reports. *There may be an increased price for contrast studies.
Check Quality: When you click on the Provider’s name, you’ll be taken to their profile page where you’ll see their Docometer Score. The weighted score is on a scale of 100 and is based on a number of key points. The providers are evaluated by our grading department and have no control over their Docometer Scores.
Request Appointment: Once you’ve selected the center you want to go to, you can request an appointment on the right side of their profile page. Simply click the green “Book Appointment” button and fill in the required fields.
Schedule Time: After you’ve requested an appointment someone from the center will call you directly to confirm you have a script for the procedure and will schedule your appointment over the phone. This will happen within 24-hours. Please feel free to contact us if you have not heard back from a provider in 24 hours.
Pay Online: Once you schedule your appointment, you can log back in to your account and pay for your procedure. You can click the “Appointments” tab on the left side of the screen. Click “View” to the right of the procedure you want to pay for and a green “Make Payment” button will appear. You can then pay for your procedure with a credit card or PayPal account through our secure payment gateway.
Show Up: Once you’ve paid for your procedure, all you have to do is show up for your appointment. You can print off your payment confirmation and take it with you to the appointment to be safe, but you won’t need it. The staff at the center will know you’ve paid in full.
You might be wondering, how are these prices so cheap? The prices on Save On Medical are self-pay discounts the provider offers since the patient is paying online ahead of time. Think of it like the rates on Expedia or Hotels.com. If you call an airline or hotel directly, the staff member will likely quote you a higher price and tell you that lower rates may be available online.
Airlines and hotels do this so they can still make money on their empty seats or rooms. If diagnostic imaging centers have empty time slots in their schedule or stay open for extended hours to serve more patients, they can take advantage of the same opportunity.
If you have more questions about how Save On Medical works, feel free to give us a call at 888-372-5438.
