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What is the Radiology Assist Program ?

  • Radiology Assist is a free resource available to the under-insured community giving individuals access to affordable diagnostic imaging.
  • The program offers the following radiology imaging at a low discounted rate :
    1. MRI
    2. CT Scan
    3. PET Scan
    4. Ultrasound
    5. Xray
    6. Mammogram
  • Our low affordable rates are available at any participating imaging centers when appointments are scheduled through the program. There is no fee to use the program.
  • The program is intended to assist the under-insured control the cost of imaging in their time of need.

Frequently Asked Questions2023-03-16T00:47:55-05:00

Nationwide Access To Affordable Imaging

Frequently Asked Questions

About RadiologyAssist

RadiologyAssist is a nationwide assistance program that was created to help anyone having to pay for their imaging out of pocket. The program ensures that the individuals receive : 1) an affordable cost, 2) quality care, 3) quick and easy scheduling, and 4) protection from common upcharges and pitfalls that uninsured patients face. The program partners with imaging centers in 30 states to offer this service and hopes to be your advocate in obtaining affordable healthcare.
Yes. While our low pricing is one reason to use RadiologyAssist, our program is so much more than that. We leverage our strong relationships with our imaging centers to advocate for the patient. Some of the advantages of using the program are :
  1. Priority scheduling Our schedulers can get you in for appointments sooner than you can schedule yourself.
  2. Upcharges Centers are prohibited from up-charging patients at time of service when you are most vulnerable.
  3. Unbundling Centers are not allowed to unbundle codes. For example, they can’t charge for a CT with contrast and then charge a separate fee for administering the injection (it should be included in the CT cost).
  4. Protection from Frivolous Charges We vehemently protect you from frivolous charges and bad billing practices. For example: 3D rendering charges for scans which are always 3D, charges for a copy of your images.
  5. Medical Necessity Reviews Our trained specialists protocol each referral internally before scheduling. For example, some centers insist lab work before a CT for all patients because its convenient. They can not do this for our patients unless the lab work is medically necessary.
  6. Referral back-and-forth Our trained schedulers are able to resolve most common problems with referrals without needing the patient to spend time going back and forth with their referring doctor.
Our rates are truly all-inclusive rates with no surprises or hidden charges. Our rate quoted for any imaging study includes:
  1. Imaging center fees
  2. Radiologist fees
  3. A copy of the report
  4. One copy of the images (upon request)
  5. Our money back guarantee
RadiologyAssist is available as a resource to any individual having to pay out-of-pocket for diagnostic imaging studies.
There are no current limits on the number of times an individual may use the program at this time.
RadiologyAssist is able to provide affordable lab testing and GI procedures such as colonoscopy and upper endoscopy. For more information on our other programs, you may call the Assist Health Group nationwide assistance line at 888-996-0650.
RadiologyAssist utilizes one or more of the following tools at each center to bring affordable imaging to the under-insured :
  • Volume discount agreements
  • Time share leases on imaging equipment
  • Centralized reading of studies by our contracted radiologists

Eligibility

You must meet the following two criteria to be able to schedule with RadiologyAssist: 1. You must be paying for your imaging out-of-pocket, and 2. You must have an order from a provider for your imaging. There are no income, residency or immigration restrictions at this time.
Yes, you can! RadiologyAssist was designed as an assistance program to help the uninsured and is the reason we exist.
You may use RadiologyAssist as long as you are willing to pay for your imaging studies out of pocket. RadiologyAssist is unable to file an insurance claim on your behalf.
No. RadiologyAssist is unable to file insurance claims.
There are no income, residency or immigration restrictions to schedule imaging studies through RadiologyAssist at this time.
We fully support and stand behind health sharing plans and their mission. Members of health sharing ministries use RadiologyAssist regularly and over time, we have created a special statement that include all the necessary codes and information so that the sharing plans can reimburse their members. Just request an itemized statement once your study has been completed and we will send you a pre-completed statement to submit to your plan. You may submit this request by emailing info@radiologyassist.com or calling our support line at (855) 346 5152.
Yes. There are no residency restrictions at this time and you may use RadiologyAssist even if you are not a resident of the USA or visiting the USA. Please note that certain collaborating facilities do not accept referrals from international providers. In these cases, our agents will help you find a centers which will accept your referral or otherwise help you obtain one through our virtual consultation service.

Scheduling Process

Scheduling is simple and quick. The process is as follows :
  1. Submit a scheduling request by calling 855-346-5152 or from our home page.
  2. Submit your imaging order as instructed.
  3. Receive your appointment confirmation email.
  4. Complete payment for your study to confirm your appointment and receive your voucher.
  5. Go to your appointment and present your voucher upon check-in.
You may use our location lookup tool to locate imaging centers that participate with RadiologyAssist.
Our website only lists the most common requested imaging studies. If you are unable to locate the study you have been referred for, call our toll-free help line at 855-346-5152 for assistance from a trained patient navigator.
If you need to make any changes to your initial scheduling request, give us a call at our toll-free help line at 855-346-5152 or send an email to info@radiologyassist.com so that we can designate the changes within your request forms. Some things to keep in mind when changing the study requested : 1) Imaging centers go by the study listed on your imaging order and typically ignore verbal requests from the patient. Many times an updated order may be necessary. 2) RadiologyAssist is unable to make changes to an imaging order generated by your doctor.
In most cases, RadiologyAssist is able to schedule appointments faster than a patient scheduling by themselves. You can typically expect a confirmed appointment within a few business hours after we receive your referral and scheduling preferences. Our hours of operation are Mon – Fri 8am to 5pm CST.
In urgent situations, RadiologyAssist is typically able to get individuals in same day for an appointment. For urgent schedules, please following the below protocol: 1) Complete a request on our website 2) Submit your referral to RadiologyAssist 3) Call us at 855-346-5152 and request an urgent schedule. An agent will work to get you scheduled while on the phone. Remember, while we are able to accommodate most urgent requests, RadiologyAssist does not make any guarantees on turn around time.
No. To utilize RadiologyAssist, the appointment must be scheduled by RadiologyAssist. An appointment will be required at our collaborating imaging centers to utilize the RadiologyAssist program. Some studies, like X-Rays, may be available at a walk-in basis at certain collaborating imaging centers. If this is the case for your study, you will receive an appointment confirmation email with this information.
Payments are due to RadiologyAssist upon scheduling of your appointment. You will receive a unique payment link along with once your appointment confirmation email. For additional payment questions, see the payments section of our frequently asked questions.
No. RadiologyAssist cannot retroactively cover any imaging studies already performed.
Scheduled appointments must be cancelled using the cancellation link in your appointment confirmation email. You may cancel an unscheduled appointment request in one of the following two ways : 1) By phone at 855-346-5152 2) By emailing info@radiologyassist.com

Screening Questions

Yes. MRI and CT scans produce streak artifacts around metal that obscure parts of the image. If you have any metal parts in your body, please make RadiologyAssist aware upon submission of your scheduling request. We will verify with the imaging center directly if this will affect your scan.
If you are claustrophobic, please make us aware upon submission of your scheduling request. We will try to accommodate your appointment at a location with a wide bore or open MRI machine. After you have been scheduled, please be sure to verify with the imaging center directly that your appointment is scheduled with the necessary equipment where applicable.
In most cases, a 3T machine is not necessary for an MRI. RadiologyAssist will accommodate scheduling with a 3T machine when specified by your doctor on your referral. Please note that 3T MRI machines are not common and may not be available in some areas.
Unfortunately, the imaging centers that collaborate with RadiologyAssist do not perform imaging studies on animals and can only accommodate humans.
Imaging centers have scheduling restrictions based on age, height and weight. If scheduling for a child, please call 855-346-5152 and an agent will help you determine the best imaging center that can accommodate your child.
A screening mammogram is done as a routine check-up for breast cancer in patients with no symptoms. For diagnostic mammograms, bilateral breast ultrasounds will be required to be scheduled along with the mammogram. If the ultrasounds are not rendered, they are subject for a full refund once the information is verified.

Referrals

Yes. A provider referral is required to schedule any imaing study nationwide. If you do not have a provider referral, RadiologyAssist can schedule a virtual consultation for you.
RadiologyAssist makes it easy to submit your referral for scheduling. Referrals can be submitted the following way:
  1. Fax the referral to 855-345-5222
  2. Email the referral to info@radiologyassist.com
  3. Submit the referral to our referral portal
Referrals from any medical provider licensed to order lab tests and a valid NPI number are acceptable. This includes but is not limited to physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists and chiropractors.
Referrals do not have to be made out to RadiologyAssist. Any valid referral written by a medical professional with an NPI number will be accepted. Please note that it is at the discretion of the facility to accept the referral.
Yes. If the referral has been issued by a medical professional with an NPI number, it will be accepted. Please note that it is at the discretion of the facility to accept the referral.

You may obtain a referral via our virtual consultation service. You will receive a response regarding your referral within 24 business hours.

At a minimum a referral must contain the following information :
  • Identify the patient
  • Identify imaging studies ordered (with CPT code)
  • Name of the ordering provider (legible)
For your referral to be more effective, it is good practice to include :
  • Diagnosis or the reason for the tests (eg. low back pain)
  • Any special instructions (eg. contrast, fasting)
Please note that it is at the discretion of the facility to accept the referral.
If a date is not specified on the referral, the expiration is at the discretion of the facility.
No. A referral is required to have any imaging study performed nationwide. If you do not have a referral, you can arrange a virtual consultation through our program.
No. RadiologyAssist will require the referral prior to scheduling. This is to provide an accurate quote for your study. Additionally, this will prevent any errors in scheduling and to ensure that the appointment scheduled is exactly what your doctor is ordering.
RadiologyAssist will schedule the imaging study per your referral. If you would like to schedule only a partial number of tests, please ensure the order sent to us indicates clearly which studies need to be scheduled.
Yes. You can simply take a picture of your referral and submit the referral to our uploading portal. You can also email a picture of the referral to info@radiologyassist.com if you prefer.
RadiologyAssist is unable to get an order from your physician’s office, as offices will not release referrals without your consent. You will need to call your physician’s office and request to have the order sent to us. If you are unable to obtain the referral from your physician or your physician will not send the referral to RadiologyAssist, we offer a virtual consultation service that you can utilize alternatively to obtain a referral.
If you are unable to obtain the referral from your physician, or your physician will not send the referral to RadiologyAssist, we offer a virtual consultation service to assist you with obtaining a physician’s referral.
We partner with a virtual consultation service where you can speak with a physician that can order imaging based on your conversation. The cost of the consultation is $40 and a provider will call you within 24 hours of your request. If you do not want to utilize the virtual consultation service, you can visit any medical provider with an NPI number.
Self-referrals are at the discretion of the imaging center. Please give us a call at 855-346-5152 or send an email to info@radiologyassist.com so that we can assist with verifying this information prior to scheduling.
All of the collaborating imaging centers with RadiologyAssist accept out of state referrals.
The collaborating imaging centers with our program only accept referrals written by medical professionals with NPIs within the United States and Canada. If you have an international referral, a virtual consultation can be coordinated to obtain a valid referral.
Contrast is a dye that is injected into the body part needing the imaging. It allows the radiologist to view a clearer image of the body part.
If your study requires contrast, your doctor should have specified on your referral. The imaging center may require a specific protocol for the imaging study and you will be made aware if any changes occur in scheduling.

Virtual Consultations

RadiologyAssist created our virtual consultation service as a quick and affordable way to help anyone needing an imaging referrals. The service pairs the individual with a licensed provider that can write an imaging order. To utilize the service:
  1. Visit our virtual consultations page to submit your consultation request.
  2. Within 24 business hours, a provider will review the request and write an imaging order based on medical necessity.
The cost of the virtual consultation is a flat $40.
You will receive a referral within 24 business hours of the request (*see note below). *Note : While we almost always meet the 24 business hour turnaround time it is not a guarantee. RadiologyAssist is dependent on contracted independent tele-medicine providers and have little control over their operations.
RadiologyAssist uses contracted telemedicine services to provide consultation. RadiologyAssist ensures that all collaborating virtual providers are licensed to write imaging orders. Beyond this, RadiologyAssist makes no warranties.
Upon completion of your consultation, RadiologyAssist receives your referral within the same business day.
Yes, you will receive an email with a secure link to download your imaging order once it is generated.
No. The virtual consultation program is designed for non-emergent situations only. Do not not use this service if you are experiencing a medical emergency or if you have any pressing time commitment matter.
Business hours for the virtual consultation service are Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm (CST).
Following your request submission, you will receive an email with a support phone number for the tele-medicine service. You may call the support number to see if it is possible to have your record reviewed.
If you missed a call from the provider, you should receive an email with instructions on how to proceed. If you do not receive an email, please either wait for another call or call RadiologyAssist for refund and submit a new request.
If you would like to schedule a time to speak with the provider, you can add this information within your consultation request. Please note that this is at the discretion of the virtual consultation provider and the provider may be unable to arrange a specific time for a call.
No. However consults for patients under 18 must be submitted by their legal guardian.
Imaging centers typically send a copy of your reports to the ordering physician by default. If you have a virtual consultation, it is very important that you discuss with the virtual consultation service as well as the imaging center how you will obtain your reports. It is advised to make arrangements with the imaging center at the time of service. RadiologyAssist does not have access to patient reports.
An imaging order is always as per the providers discretion. If imaging is not warranted, the provider should explain the medical reasons why.
No. Your payment to RadiologyAssist is for a consultation and not for any particular outcome.
A refund can not be given once a consultation has been completed or referral provided. However, you are free to use the imaging order at any imaging center even outside of RadiologyAssist.
If a consultation has not occurred, please call us at 855-346-5152 or email us at info@radiologyassist.com to cancel the request.
If a consultation has not occurred, give us a call at 855-346-5152 or email us at info@radiologyassist.com.
Yes. You can obtain multiple referrals from your consultation. This can be discussed with the provider and is at the discretion of the provider.
No. This is an asynchronous consultation service.
Yes. The virtual consultation service is available to patients in all 50 states.
Yes. You are welcome to utilize the service more than once.
Yes. However, a new consultation will need to be requested. You can designate a follow-up consultation on your consultation request forms. The follow up consultation will require an additional payment.
No. The virtual consultation can only be requested for imaging services.

Payments

RadiologyAssist accepts payments via the following methods:
  • Debit or Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover only)
  • Check
  • HSA, FSA or HRA cards
  • CareCredit
RadiologyAssist does not accept American Express at this time.
RadiologyAssist accepts FSA/HSA debit card payments or you can submit our receipt to your FSA/HSA for reimbursement.
You will need to contact your insurance company for information on this subject. Upon request, RadiologyAssist will provide an itemized invoice with details of services rendered.
Yes. RadiologyAssist was founded to help make imaging affordable. Every purchase through RadiologyAssist is backed by our money-back guarantee. If you do not receive your purchased imaging studies for any reason, you are entitled to a refund. For more information on refunds, see the refunds section of our frequently asked questions page.
If you have received a bill for a study that was paid through RadiologyAssist, do not pay it! Call the phone number on the invoice and provide them your voucher to remind them that the services should be billed to the Assist Health Group. If they refuse to do so, or if you have any difficulty, call our support line and we will help you resolve that bill 855-346-5152.
All payments must be made to RadiologyAssist via a payment link included in your appointment confirmation email.
Payment is due 24 hours after your appointment has been scheduled, regardless of your appointment date. For same-day or next day appointments, payment is due immediately when an appointment is scheduled. For urgent schedules on the phone payment will be required as soon as the appointment is scheduled.
We have worked hard to create a truly price transparent program which gives you the all-inclusive price upfront before you set foot into the imaging center. No additional fees or payments need to be paid at the time of service. Centers are also prohibited from changing the cost or presenting any upcharges to you at time of service.
No. All payments must be made to RadiologyAssist prior to your appointment in order to utilize the program.
RadiologyAssist offers financial assistance options for patients in need of additional assistance. Please see our financial assistance page for more details.
RadiologyAssist is committed to pricing transparency. The rate quoted in your appointment confirmation is your exact out of pocket cost. There are no additional hidden charges.
RadiologyAssist utilizes Authorize.Net to ensure all payments are secure.

Appointment Questions

The patient must obtain pre-study preparation instructions from the ordering physician or the imaging center prior to the study. RadiologyAssist is unable to provide this information.
You may be required to abstain from eating prior to your appointment. For any prep instructions regarding your study, contact the facility prior to your appointment.
You will need to bring your I.D. and a copy of the RadiologyAssist voucher to your appointment (electronic copy acceptable).
It is recommended that you bring a copy of the referral with you.
You will be able to choose your facility at the time of submitting your scheduling request. You may call our support line at 855-346-5152 to determine the best facility for you. Additionally, if you have a confirmed appointment, you can find the address and phone number of the location in your appointment confirmation email.
RadiologyAssist works with hundreds of imaging centers, each having a rapidly fluctuating schedule. While most appointments are scheduled same day/next day,  our team does not have direct access to each center schedule. Patients are asked provide their scheduling preferences when requesting an appointment and our schedulers will do their best to meet these preferences. In most cases they are able to meet the preferences. If they are unable to meet the preferences, the schedulers select the best available option and you can choose to keep the appointment or reschedule.
Many of our collaborating imaging centers perform certain studies on a walk-in basis. If your appointment confirmation states “Walk-In Appointment”, you can just show up for your study. We do recommend calling ahead prior to walk-in appointments.
The length of an appointment can vary by facility or study rendered. Please call the imaging center directly for this information.
If you did not receive your imaging study at your appointment for any reason, please contact RadiologyAssist at 855-346-5152 so that we can assist you with a refund.
All changes to your appointment must be made with RadiologyAssist. Do not call the imaging center directly. You can request modification of your appointment using the link in your appointment confirmation, or by phone at 855-346-5152 or by email at info@radiologyassist.com.
This can occur if your referral contains a different study than what was selected during the scheduling request. RadiologyAssist only goes by the study listed on the imaging order. If any changes occur, you will be made aware prior to your appointment.

Reports and Results

Imaging reports are provided by the imaging center directly to the patient or the ordering physician. We recommend you make arrangements on how to obtain the report with the imaging center at the time of service. If the report is needed by a certain date, please make this known to the center and get a phone number of who you can follow up with incase they do not arrive on time. The cost of your report and one set of images is included in your payment to RadiologyAssist. Since RadiologyAssist does not create the reports, we are unable to provide them to the patient.
The turnaround time for reports depends on the imaging center visited. In most cases, reports will be ready and available within a few days. RadiologyAssist recommends that the patient discuss with the front desk where and when reports will be sent prior to leaving the appointment. If reports are urgent, please inform the front desk to avoid delays and set expectations correctly. Unfortunately, since RadiologyAssist does not generate the reports, we are unable to guarantee any particular timeframe on reports.
This must be decided between the virtual consult provider, the imaging center and the patient. RadiologyAssist recommends that you discuss where and when reports will be sent with both the virtual consultation provider as well as the imaging center.

Yes. Just request a consultation on our Virtual Consultation page. Just remember to indicate this is a follow up so that we can route you to a provider that can call you.

No, you would need to contact the referring doctor or the imaging center.
Your payment to RadiologyAssist includes the first copy of your images. There should be no charge at the center unless multiple copies are requested. The responsibility to request the images and transfer to the ordering physician in an appropriate time frame is on the patient. RadiologyAssist does not provide refunds due to an inability to obtain reports or images. RadiologyAssist is unable to provide support for obtaining images, you will need to call the facility directly.
You can request a report from the imaging center where your study was performed.

Refunds

Yes. If a study was not rendered at the time of service, you are entitled to a full refund per our money-back guarantee. Please note there is a fee for late cancellations and no-shows.
Please contact RadiologyAssist at 855-346-5152 regarding any refunds you need to request. You can also send us an email with the information at info@radiologyassist.com
RadiologyAssist typically processes all refund requests within 48 hours. Once the refund has been processed, the refund should arrive within few business days depending on your bank or card.
No. There are no processing fees for refunds.
Yes. Please visit our refunds policy page to see our detailed refund policy when an insurance claim is filed for a study scheduled through RadiologyAssist.
Yes. If your study was changed at the appointment which resulted in a lower cost, you are entitled to a refund. Please call us to request a refund.
Appointments : 1-855-346-5152