Checkups and scans without insurance
Insurance won’t pay for a full checkup, and scans can wait on approval. Here’s what it costs self-paid
Core executive health assessments are often not billable to insurance, and on a high-deductible plan you pay for an MRI yourself until the deductible is met. Self-paid, a public hospital checkup in China starts at CNY 1,320 (≈ USD 200) and an MRI costs about CNY 500 (≈ USD 75).
Cleveland Clinic core executive health assessment, not billable to insurance (2024 fee schedule)
USD 1,346
US high-deductible plan, minimum deductible, self-only (IRS, 2026)
USD 1,700
US hospital outpatient MRI, self-pay (cost guide, 2025–26)
USD 1,200–3,500+
China public hospital MRI after the 2024–25 price reform (Xinhua)
CNY 500 (≈ USD 75)
Self-pay prices for an MRI and a full checkup (sources: cost guides and clinic pages 2025–26; provider price pages 2026; China: Xinhua 2025 and public hospital price page)
| Where | Self-pay | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| USA, MRI at an imaging centre / hospital | USD 300–800 / 1,200–3,500+ | Cost guide, 2025–26 |
| UK, private MRI, one body part | GBP 249–750 | Cost guide, 2026 |
| Canada (Alberta), private MRI | CAD 675–850 | Clinic pages, 2025 |
| China, public hospital MRI / CT | About CNY 500 (≈ USD 75) / about CNY 200 (≈ USD 30) | Official media, 2025 |
| USA, executive physical at top hospitals | USD 2,500–11,000 | Research study, 2020 |
| UK, Nuffield Health 360+ | GBP 1,129 | Provider price page, 2026 |
| China, public hospital checkup packages | CNY 1,320–7,723 (≈ USD 200–1,150) | Hospital price page, current |
United States
Preventive care is covered, an executive checkup mostly is not
Marketplace and many other plans must cover listed preventive services in network without a copay, though HealthCare.gov notes that $0 is not guaranteed in every case. A full executive checkup is different: Cleveland Clinic lists its core assessment (USD 1,346), fitness assessment and coaching as not billable to insurance, and says billing insurance for the rest does not guarantee coverage. On a high-deductible plan, the 2026 minimum deductible is USD 1,700 self-only, so a scan below that is paid by you.
Approvals and pre-existing conditions
Claims are denied, and new cover excludes what you already have
HealthCare.gov insurers denied 19% of in-network claims in 2023, and lack of prior authorisation or referral was the stated reason for 9% of those denials (KFF). In the UK, moratorium private cover excludes conditions you had in the 5 years before joining until you have gone 2 continuous years without symptoms or treatment. In Australia, hospital cover can impose a 12-month waiting period for pre-existing conditions and 2 months for most other care.
The China route
A self-pay comparison, at published prices
Chinese insurance does not cover a visitor’s planned checkup. Commercial health insurance for expats usually requires about 180 days’ residence in China (Shanghai government guide), and Beijing’s new short-term visitor product covers accidents, medical payments and rescue; whether it covers planned checkups is not stated, so it needs checking case by case. We send you a self-pay quote from a public hospital next to your out-of-pocket cost at home.
We handle the China part
An English-speaking coordinator from airport to aftercare
We book the hospital, meet you at the airport, arrange a hotel near the hospital, put an interpreter beside you at every appointment, help with WeChat and Alipay payment, translate your reports into English and stay in touch for follow-up after you fly home.
Common questions
How much does an MRI or CT scan cost without insurance?
In the US, an MRI typically costs USD 300–800 at a freestanding imaging centre and USD 1,200–3,500 or more at a hospital outpatient department; Healthcare Bluebook puts the average out-of-pocket cost at about USD 1,325. A private MRI of one body part is GBP 249–750 in the UK and about CAD 675–850 in Alberta. At Chinese public hospitals, an MRI costs about CNY 500 (≈ USD 75) and a CT about CNY 200 (≈ USD 30) in many provinces after the 2024–25 price reform.
Can you get an MRI without insurance approval?
Yes, if you pay for it yourself. Approval only decides whether your plan pays. Denials are not rare: HealthCare.gov insurers denied 19% of in-network claims in 2023, with lack of prior authorisation or referral given for 9% of those denials (KFF). If you are waiting on approval, ask an imaging centre for its self-pay price.
Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for an MRI?
It depends on your deductible and where you go. Until a high-deductible plan’s deductible is met (at least USD 1,700 self-only in 2026), you pay the scan yourself either way, so a freestanding centre’s cash price of USD 300–800 can be lower than your share of a hospital MRI at USD 1,200–3,500 or more. Ask for both prices before you book.
Read more
- MRI Cost Without Insurance: Cash Prices, Denials and China
What an MRI costs without insurance or when your insurer won't approve it: US cash prices, when cash beats your plan, UK and Canada options, and China prices.
USD amounts converted at about CNY 6.70 per USD (2026-10-07), for reference only. Foreign patients pay the full listed price.