There is NO WAY a chest x-ray is going to cost $20. The cost of the film, developing, the tech's time, the radiologist to review it, storage in a PACS system, amortizing the cost of the equipment, all that would cause the cost to run well into three figures.
Heck, haven’t seen a REAL X-Ray in years...they’re all DIGITAL now...
Two ankle breaks in 2 years and they give out a CD with your x-rays to take to your Dr. They email them to insurance provider...
COST of an email and digital file?
What is this “film” of which you speak? A new system?
Hardly any film anymore as it’s all gone digital, but your correct just the same - tech and radiologist alone will run you in the 100s.
Radiolgy storage is all digital now with reusable memory drives. No film!. The machines get paid for many times over as the cost of record storage per patient is practically nothing!! Other than the cost of various contrasts depending on the tests needed as well as labor, the actual per patient cost is practically nothing!
The public is really getting reamed!
Or people that are flipping nuts...claiming all sorts of problems. And having to work them up.
But the fact is...facilities, Doctor's and everyone else plays CYA medicine....and the fact that one $1 Million dollar no pay ILLEGAL costs everyone else...ton's of money.