MRI machines also require superconducting magnets and liquid helium, high-amperage utility hookups, etc., so they might just be expensive regardless.
The $2000 place is associated with a local hospital chain that is well regarded. I guess that is how they could negotiate $2000 for an MRI with insurance and the other place (that I went to) was only able to negotiate $500.
Honestly, the price for health care in the US is all funny money. I've gotten a single shot, of a very common drug, that was billed at $20k, knocked down to $10k with the "insurance discount", so my 10% co-pay ended up $1000, with insurance!
I had a surgery that was billied at $250k where the "discount" was over $150k. That $250k price is clearly not real.
The highest medical bill I've ever paid is £8.50. Of course I pay National Insurance to cover the costs of the healthcare system. But as far as I can tell that's no more expensive than what people in the US pay despite their insurance having not nearly the same coverage.
They have insurance. And if they don't, they declare bankruptcy. It's not permanent. It's a seven-year ding on your credit rating.
I am genuinely interested.
And please don't take any of this as a defense of the current abominable US system. I lost my dad to complications of untreated diabetes because he didn't have health insurance. What I'm saying is that people who should declare bankruptcy often don't, because they think bankruptcy will ruin their life. It won't. It protects you from predatory lenders and gives you a fresh start.
Isn't the issue that health insurance often doesn't cover everything. And that it's very difficult to get health insurance at all if you have pre-existing or chronic conditions (exactly the people who need it the most).
I have never declared bankruptcy and there isn't really a situation that I can foresee where I will need to.