Should You Get an Elective MRI? A Doctor Explains Costs, Coverage and the Hidden Risks

When you think of routine health checkups, blood pressure screenings and cholesterol tests probably come to mind. Perhaps not MRIs. But they’ve been making headlines lately, with everyone from President Trump to Kim Kardashian getting scans this year to stay on top of their health. If you’ve been curious about whether an elective MRI might be right for you, you’re in the right place! We spoke with a doctor to get the inside scoop on what the scans are, what they actually cost and the pros and cons to consider.

What is an elective MRI?

“An elective MRI is [magnetic resonance imaging] that is performed without symptoms or risk factors for an illness,” says Sadie Elisseou, MD, a nationally recognized primary care physician, medical educator and advocate for trauma-informed care. “It is done as a preventive measure ‘just in case’ something is found. A medically necessary MRI is one that is ordered to diagnose an already suspected health issue.”

Typically, these are full-body MRI screenings as opposed to targeted screenings used to scan a specific body part. Patients are increasingly requesting them to preventatively check for serious conditions such as cancer or a brain tumor while it’s still in the early stages, before noticeable symptoms may appear. That’s especially true if they have a family history of cancer or may be at high risk for serious health issues.

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Will insurance cover elective MRIs? How much do they cost?

“Elective MRIs are typically not covered by insurance because they are not viewed as medically necessary tests,” says Dr. Elisseou. For an insurance company to consider covering an elective MRI, they might have certain requirements including:

• Documentation of symptoms, signs and risk factors for disease
• Evidence of other imaging scans or treatment plans performed before the MRI

While insurance may not cover your elective MRI, that doesn’t make you ineligible to get one. But Dr. Elisseou says the process of getting an elective MRI will vary from person to person. She says if your insurance plan allows coverage and you want to use it, you may need to start with an appointment with your primary care provider or a specialist to enter the order for the MRI.

And if insurance does not cover your MRI, Dr. Elisseou says you may be able to purchase an MRI service on your own. “Price ranges vary for elective MRIs, depending on the body part,” says Dr. Elisseou. “A full-body elective MRI may cost between $2,000 to $5,000 out of pocket.”

The scans are making headlines 

President Trump, 79, had an MRI on October 10, and in a December 1 letter, White House doctor Sean P. Barbabella said the scan was “perfectly normal,” per NBC News. Barbabella added that Trump had it done “because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health.”

And President Trump isn’t the only one getting an elective MRI lately. In an October teaser for the new season of The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian, 45, said she had recently been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm after receiving a routine MRI. 

How MRIs can be harmful and helpful

With Kim Kardashian and President Trump both getting preventative MRIs, you might be wondering if you should consider one too. We asked Dr. Elisseou about the benefits and drawbacks to consider before booking your own appointment.

Elective MRI benefits

Dr. Elisseou notes that elective MRIs can sometimes offer helpful insights into what’s actually happening inside our bodies. 

“The body commonly grows things like fatty tumors, cysts, stones and nodules that often go undetected without an imaging study,” says Dr. Elisseou. “Most of the time, these are benign issues that would not cause a clinically significant problem. For example, you can have gallstones your whole life and they may never cause pain or require a gallbladder removal surgery. However, sometimes we find something that ends up being cancerous or a new, important diagnosis.”

Elective MRI drawbacks 

With the unique insights on your internal health offered with MRIs, you may wonder why elective MRIs aren’t routinely offered to patients. Dr. Elisseou says the drawbacks of these scans help explain why they aren’t considered standard care.

“Depending on a patient’s overall health, genetics and age, it is likely that having a full-body scan will result in abnormal findings—a cyst here, a nodule there [or] inflammation here,” says Dr. Elisseou. “This often leads to more testing (e.g. a follow-up CT scan with contrast dye in three months), anxiety, radiation exposure and more medical appointments. It also can lead to procedures like biopsies and surgeries, some of which may be medically unnecessary [especially if the scan showed a false positive] and most of which have a list of potential complications (e.g. bleeding, infection [or] injury). Our healthcare system is not currently built to withstand the cost or care needs associated with elective MRIs for the general public.”

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So, should you get an elective MRI?

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“I do not recommend elective MRIs for most people,” says Dr.  Elisseou. “If you are privileged to have access to top-quality medical care, if you can have informed, open conversations with your provider, if you have excellent insurance or extra cash and if you don’t mind dealing with the potential consequences of knowing what’s lurking beneath the surface, then it might be a reasonable option for you. Otherwise, I lean towards judicious use of MRIs when relevant and targeted towards a specific purpose, where the results may change your medical management.”

But if you still feel drawn to pursuing it, Dr. Elisseou says you should feel free to speak to your doctor. “Anyone can discuss and request an elective MRI with their provider,” says Dr. Elisseou. “Anything and everything should be on the table for open discussion with your healthcare team.”

The bottom line

Whether an elective MRI is right for you or not, having an open conversation with your doctor about your concerns is always a powerful step toward taking charge of your wellbeing. Your health is worth the conversation.