Cost of ultrasound abdominal and back

Family, Education, Health and Pets
1
Hello,

I went to the doctor to check a pain I have in my abdominal area and also to check about a ball of grease on my back.

The doctor ordered an ultrasound in a laboratory and I am afraid of the costs.

I would like to know how much I should expect the bill to be and start organizing myself with the money. The lab looked like an expensive place and I'm not rich at all

I saw a similar post here but it's from 2012....

Thank you in advance for your kind replies.

2

What is your franchise with your health insurance? Depending on that you may have to pay it all or only (maybe) a part?

3
Do you have a high franchise on your insurance?

Last time I had an MRI it was few hundred CHF. I'd imagine an ultrasound would be a bit cheaper.

4
MRI for a few hundred is cheap, I Paid 500 for a CT scan in Geneva, I would expect an MRI to cost way more.

5
Oh, I have the highest (CHF 2,500), I will definitely have to pay it all :/

6
An ultrasound shouldn’t cost more than about 300 chf. I think mine was around 270chf including the consultation cost.

7
Yes, confirmed.

Next time, why not ask the doctor or the receptionist, instead of worrying. Bonne chance.

8
An abdominal ultrasound done last year at the local hospital was CHF 175.

That might or might not have included the cost of the consultation, hard to say as our bills come with only the notation of 'Behandlung' and date.

Bear in mind that costs will likely vary depending on exactly what is being looked at and looked for, and what sort of interpretation and follow-through needs to be done.

I've also had abdominal ultrasounds costing in the 200-300 range - this is from memory as I don't have the paperwork to hand.

If you are concerned about cost, especially with a private clinic, call around to a couple different places for quotes. The imaging center should be able to give you a very rough estimate of the cost.

9
Consultations are normally charged separate.

10
It depends on the situation. If the ultrasound is carried out by the doctor in his/her practice then they are billed together, if the doctor sends the patient somewhere else to get it done (as is the case of the OP) then they will be billed separately.

11
Or, even if done at an another practice, hospital, or imaging center, if the doctor gives you a 'running commentary' while doing the ultrasound there might not be an additional consultation charge.

In my case above, I can't find any additional bills following that ultrasound, looks like the CHF 175 was the total.

But again - in SZ all bills go directly to the insurer, all I get is a date and name of doctor, billing is not exactly transparent.

12
I was surprised that it wasn't that much. It was a while ago, but less than 500, I'm fairly confident.

I was on some drugs that made me very sluggish. I actually fell asleep in a 4T MRI...