MRIs are typically (from my perspective working in the health insurance industry) profit centers for those who own them.
Which leads to perverse incentives, like MRI manufacturers assisting physicians with setting up imaging consortiums, promising recoupment and profits within 18 months. Perhaps unsurprisingly, such doctors order imaging notably more often than others.
Low field MRI machines are around $1M. $3M gets you a brand new, state of the art 3 tesla machine.
Many states limit supply of MRI machines through a "certificate of need" program where you have to convince a regulatory body that you should be allowed to own one.
Which leads to perverse incentives, like MRI manufacturers assisting physicians with setting up imaging consortiums, promising recoupment and profits within 18 months. Perhaps unsurprisingly, such doctors order imaging notably more often than others.
Low field MRI machines are around $1M. $3M gets you a brand new, state of the art 3 tesla machine.