Medical bills shouldn’t be a surprise. Whether you’re uninsured, self-pay, or carrying a high deductible that feels impossible to meet, MDsave is one of the most practical tools available for patients who want to know exactly what they’ll pay — before they ever walk through the door. This guide covers what Save with MDsave is, whether it’s legitimate, how it works, and who benefits most.
What Is MDsave?
MDsave is an online healthcare marketplace that lets patients shop for medical procedures, see upfront pricing, and pay before their appointment — with no surprise bills afterward. MDsave has been helping patients cut their medical costs since 2012 by connecting them directly with accredited hospitals and clinics at negotiated, bundled rates.
The process is straightforward: browse available procedures at a participating provider, select what you need, pay online, and bring your voucher to your appointment. The price you see is the price you pay. All related fees are bundled in — no separate statements arriving weeks later from the radiologist, the lab, or anyone else.
Is MDsave Legitimate?
Yes. MDsave is a legitimate, established healthcare pricing platform that partners exclusively with licensed, accredited hospitals and medical facilities nationwide. It is not a discount card, a membership program, or an insurance substitute. It is a marketplace that negotiates bundled rates so patients can pay less for medical procedures — upfront, with complete transparency.
A few things that speak to its credibility: MDsave has been operating since 2012. The pricing reflects real negotiated rates rather than estimates. When you purchase a procedure through MDsave, your voucher is honored by the hospital just like any other prepaid service. The platform works only with facilities that meet rigorous accreditation standards. These are the standards that DNV, the nation’s leading healthcare accreditation organization, uses to evaluate hospitals for quality and patient safety.
How Does Save with MDsave Work?
Saving with MDsave comes down to four steps: Search for your procedure on the MDsave website and select your provider. Pay online and receive a voucher. Call the hospital or clinic to schedule your appointment. Show your voucher when you arrive — and that’s it.
There’s no haggling, no billing surprises, and no explanation of benefits to decode three weeks later. MDsave is a cash-pay platform, meaning you’re paying directly rather than going through insurance. That’s precisely what allows the pricing to be so transparent — and often significantly lower than standard billing rates.
Who Benefits Most From MDsave?
MDsave is built for patients paying out of pocket. The people who get the most value are those who are uninsured or self-pay, those with a high-deductible health plan whose deductible hasn’t been met, and those facing care that insurance denied or doesn’t cover.
If your deductible is higher than the MDsave procedure price — which is common with many plans today — paying through MDsave outright is often smarter than billing insurance and waiting on a large statement weeks later. You can also submit your MDsave receipt to your insurer to ask if they’ll apply it toward your deductible. However that determination is entirely up to your specific plan.
Save with MDsave at Artesia General Hospital
For patients in Artesia, Carlsbad, Roswell, and the surrounding communities of Eddy County, you don’t have to drive to Albuquerque or Lubbock to access quality diagnostic care at a price you know upfront. MDsave is available locally at Artesia General Hospital — a DNV-accredited nonprofit community hospital that has partnered with MDsave since 2020.
“This is a great facility. The equipment is good and the facility well maintained. But it’s the employees who really set Carlsbad Open MRI apart. They are friendly, they care, and they do everything in their power to make the experience as comfortable as possible. The experience here was much better than the MRI I had in Lubbock.”
— Nadine Dunaway, Google Review ★★★★★
AGH offers MDsave pricing across seven service categories:
- Imaging and Radiology — including MRI (performed on a state-of-the-art 1.5 Tesla MRI system), CT scans (performed on a 128-slice CT scanner), 3D Mammography (Tomosynthesis), Ultrasound, X-Ray, and more. Many of these services are also available at Carlsbad Open MRI for patients closer to Carlsbad.
- Laboratory Services — lab work and drug testing available on-site.
- Cardiac Imaging — including Cardiac CT Calcium Scoring performed on AGH’s 128-slice CT scanner.
- Nuclear Medicine — advanced diagnostic imaging for heart, bone, and organ evaluation.
- Gastroenterology — including Upper GI Series, Small Bowel Series, and Barium studies.
- Women’s Health — 3D Mammography
- Vascular/Vein — including MR Angiogram (MRA) and vascular ultrasound studies.
This level of diagnostic technology — a 1.5 Tesla MRI, 128-slice CT, and 3D Mammography — is the same equipment found at much larger hospital systems. For patients in southeastern New Mexico, that means you don’t have to drive hours for quality imaging. You can get it here, at a price you know before you book.
What If MDsave Isn’t Enough?
If the Save with MDsave price is still a stretch, you have options. Ask about financing through CareCredit, MDsave’s promotional financing partner, by calling our Patient Concierge Team at 877.461.2491. You can also use AGH’s Cost Estimator to explore pricing across other services. You can also apply for our Financial Assistance Program if you need additional help reducing your medical costs.
Ready to get started? Browse current procedures and pricing at mdsave.com/artesia-general-hospital or call our Patient Concierge Team at 877.461.2491.
This article was reviewed by Roy Thomas, Director of Diagnostic Imaging at Artesia General Hospital.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or financial advice. For questions specific to your situation, contact your provider or the MDsave Patient Concierge Team.