Is A Cardiologist Visit Without Insurance Very Expensive

Is A Cardiologist Visit Without Insurance Very Expensive

Insurance questions come up all the time when patients confront the realities of seeing heart specialist, but what about facing the reality of a cardiologist visit without insurance?

Many Americans are unemployed and uninsured, or simply cannot afford health insurance. It’s a gamble more and more patients are having to take. What happens when you lose? A cardiologist visit without insurance can be very expensive. However, it depends on the type of treatment you need.

This article will give you some guidelines, so you know the kind of out-of-pocket expenses you may need cover.

Phase One: The Evaluation

Generally, you don’t start out seeing a cardiologist for invasive testing right away. Your journey starts at a walk-in or urgent care clinic.

Primary care physician or NP appointments run between $50 and $150. This doesn’t include the cost of any lab work or additional testing that might be necessary. If after being evaluated by a PCP you are referred to a cardiologist, there will be different fees for the different services performed by the specialist.

A cardiologist visit without insurance starts in the $200 to $400 range.

This covers:

• The office visit
• Physical exam
• Electrocardiogram (EKG)

It covers the basics of what a heart specialist looks for. Beyond that, you are entering phase two.

Phase Two: Additional Testing

The final amount you pay out-of-pocket depends on how much more information your cardiologist may need to diagnose and treat your heart problem.

Assuming that the EKG either didn’t show enough or indicated that there was a more serious problem; it’s likely you’re looking at covering the cost of more tests. The list could include an echocardiogram to check your heart function and the stress test to check for blocked arteries.

An echocardiogram cost about $300 and the stress test can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000. These costs do not include any prescribed medications, repeat visits, or hospital stays.

If your PCP believes that your symptoms warrant a cardiologist visit without insurance, ask for referrals to government and university hospitals; they are usually cheaper than private clinics.

You also have the option of working out a payment plan with private clinics.

Dr. Seldon, a Heart Doctor and Cardiologist in New York City, offers same day appointments and all testing is done on site. & Call us at (212) 367-8000.