Diagnosis before treatment
"Abnormalities on imaging, including MRI, cannot identify the cause of your back pain."
The cause of your back pain may not be easy to determine. Abnormalities on imaging, including MRI, can not identify the cause of the pain. For example, you may have an MRI which shows a bulging disc disease or lumbar arthritis, but that may not be the actual cause of your back pain. In other words, we need to find what is really, actually causing your pain and not just what looks abnormal on an x-ray. Similarly, just because you have a stomach ache and you have an appendix doesn’t mean that your stomach pain is due to appendicitis.
Full Evaluation Visit and Thorough Examination
In order to find out what is causing your back pain, we need to do a full and thorough evaluation, including a history of your pain and physical examination and review your imaging such as X-rays and MRI.
MRI scan
We can use an existing back MRI provided that it is less than one year old and was done after the onset of your symptoms. If you do not have a recent back MRI, you will need to get a new one, which can be done at any MRI facility. However, we recommend MetroWest MRI since it is close, usually fast, and offers special out of pocket MRI rate for our patients.
Diagnostic Injections
We may also need to do a diagnostic local anesthetic injection into your facet joint or joints to help diagnose the cause of your pain. Facet joint pain is a common cause of back pain that is difficulty to diagnose by physical exam, but easy to diagnose by local anesthetic injection. If the local anesthetic injected into your facet joint significantly reduces your back pain, then we have found the cause of your pain and we can treat it these with a orthobiologic procedure. Diagnostic Facet joint injections are a simple and low risk procedure.
Visit and Procedure Cost
Your initial visit and some of our procedures are covered by insurance. We accept most major insurances (but not Medicaid or any Medicaid Programs.) If we do not accept your insurance, you will need to pay out of pocket at the time on your visit.
The following is a list of visits and procedures that are usually covered by insurance:
- Your initial new patient evaluation visit
- Diagnostic Facet Joint Injections
- Epidural Steroid Injections
- Facet Joint Steroid Injections
- Radiofrequency Ablation
-
Spinal column and Peripheral Nerve stimulation
(will need preapproval / prior authorization) - Kyphoplasty and Sacroplasty
Some of our procedures are not covered by insurance:
- Orthobiological treatments
- Regenerative Medicine treatments
- Bone Marrow Aspirate treatments
- The Discseel Procedure
MRI Cost
If you need a new MRI, we can write you a prescription for it if you are one of our patients. Your insurance may cover the cost of your MRI.
In many cases, insurance companies require pre approval for an MRI which can be a lengthy and difficult process. If your insurance doesn’t cover the cost, we have a special out of pocket MRI rate for our patients at Metrowest MRI.
We offer and accept the CareCredit
You shouldn’t have to worry about how to get the best medical care. So we’re pleased to offer and accept the CareCredit healthcare credit card. CareCredit is a healthcare credit card that helps you pay for treatments and procedures for yourself or your family that may not be covered by insurance.
Care Credit is a health, wellness, and personal care credit card that patients and clients can use to finance the care they want and need without delaying appointments or treatment.* Plus, CareCredit can be used again and again for family and pets at over 240,000+ provider and select retail locations.
It’s easy to apply and you’ll receive a credit decision immediately. If you’re approved, you can pay for your procedures even before you receive your card. With more than 28 million accounts opened since CareCredit began more than 30 years ago, they are the trusted source for healthcare credit cards.
Apply online for your CareCredit credit card today.
CareCredit lets you say “yes” to recommended treatment and pay for it in convenient monthly payments that fit your budget.
With shorter term financing options of 6 or 12 months, no interest is charged on purchases of $200 or more when you pay the full amount due by the end of the promotional period. If you do not, interest is charged from the original purchase date.*
CareCredit also extends longer term healthcare financing for 24, 36, 48 or 60-month periods with reduced APR and fixed monthly payments required until paid in full.
*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payment required. See carecredit.com for details.
The Benefits of Healthcare Financing:
- The CareCredit credit card gives cardholders*:
- A convenient way to pay for deductibles, unexpected expenses, copays and coinsurance, as well as other costs not covered by insurance.
- Promotional financing options with convenient monthly payments.
- A payment option to move forward with recommended care.
- A way to fit payments into their monthly budget.
*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payment required. See carecredit.com for details.
How Does The CareCredit Credit Card Work?
- You quickly see if they prequalify and then apply on your smart device or apply in your office or over the phone —and get an instant credit decision.*
- Once approved, you can immediately use the CareCredit credit card to pay for your procedure.*
- Cardholders can take advantage of promotional financing on purchases of $200 or more.*
- Cardholders can use your CareCredit credit card to pay for repeat visits or subsequent treatments without reapplying, so they’re always prepared with a way to pay.*
*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payment required. See carecredit.com for details.
Patient Financing
BHG MORE MasterCard® Patient Benefits:
SPECIAL HEALTHCARE FINANCING
0% APR for 6 months on each healthcare transaction over $499 anywhere MasterCard is accepted. After that, a 14.74% – 23.99% variable APR applies based on creditworthiness.*
Each individual healthcare expense over $499 receives 0% APR for 6 months*, giving you a payment solution today and a safety net for unexpected future costs.
NO RETROACTIVE INTEREST
UNLIMITED CASH BACK /REWARDS
MASTERCARD BUYING POWER
*Subject to credit approval. Terms apply. For more information: Click Here
The MORE Mastercard® is issued by Pinnacle Bank pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard® and the Mastercard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.