Check the needy med page, 4 items down it has the

Multiple Sclerosis Association of America/ MRI Diagnostic Fund

This association has a program to pay for an initial MRI exam to determine a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

I was diagnosed in the ER with suspected stroke or MS. My MRI was ugly, they told me on the spot that it was MS without a doubt.

After I was released from the hospital i had a ton of bills...so i immediately contacted all doc's, lab, MRI explaining that I did not have insurance and would they set up a monthly payment plan for me? They all did, except for the MRI center which had a charitable foundation to cover MRI costs for those without insurance. They gave me a form for their charitable foundation. i filled it out, qualified and they covered the cost of my MRI.

But my first MRI was ugly for MS, so there was no doubt that I would be a future customer for them and that I would get disability & medicare very soon.

If insurance won't cover it after you go to the ER, see if you can get on a monthly payment plan. Call the MRI center to ask what a cranial MRI costs. 6 years ago in WI a brain MRI with & without contrast was $1635.& the cervical spine was the same cost---the price must have come down in 6 years, but this is a low cost area-your area may be more or less expensive.

Try that MRI fund first.

Opps Needy Med page...

..." http://www.needymeds.org/copay_diseases.taf?_function=summary&disease_eng=Multiple%20Sclerosis "...

ok what was the reason for denial of the mri? what insurance do you have?

Thank you nnyl1.

pj - I have Anthem, it's a PPO plan. I'm not sure of the reason it was denied the second time. The first time there was insufficient information submitted by the doctor's office. I talked with a nurse at the insurance co and she told me exactly what info would be needed, so I emailed the doctor's office with the info she gave me. I then rec'd a call from the drs office to let me know they had submitted additional info and appealed. Then today, I had another call that it was denied again.

Hi

I actually have had the MSAA pay for a brain MRI. I had insurance that would not pay for one, and my doctor put down that I had "catatrosphic" coverage when she filled out the forms.

It is a fairly easy process, and you can pick where you want to have the MRI done.

This was not for an intial dx, but they paid for it as a diagnostic need for tracking MS...

Good Luck! All the forms are on the website, but I would call and talk to someone just to make sure you get everything in the you need the first time.

I think they have to pay for er services. I just switchrd to BCBS this year and so far they covered everything. MRI, meds, the only thing not sure on is roids infusion. Haven't gone on this plan

for some reason your doctors office must not be doing something right. even if they did dx:rule out possible ms, or they could even put the symptoms you are having. I guess I would ask the doctors office what they are putting on for a dx. And yes if you go to the er and if they determine that they need to do an MRI, i bet it would get paid.

I sure hope you get this taken care of.. I have bcbs ppo plan and i have never had a problem, even my husband has had some with no trouble getting it paid, it is not anthem, but honestly something with how your doctors office is doing is getting it rejected, you know you can call bcbs too and ask them why it was denied, i sure hope you get this taken care of..... good luck let us know

I had BBBS PPO and that was the insurance that denied the MRI...not as a dx test, but continuing care for MS.

The rep on the phoe told me straight out to go through the ER with a complaint that would cause them to do an MRI. I chose to go throug hthe MSAA.

Interesting. Thanks for the information. I always thought Anthem was supposed to be good, but they seem to deny coverage on a lot of stuff. It's a constant fight. My husband's boss is always asking if the insurance is taking care of us, (small company), he says he would be willing to switch insurance companies if it isn't. We never have trouble getting our daughter's medical testing, even several MRI's, covered, but she's 4, so I assume the insurance company must realize the severity of her issues.