An unusual claim about MRI pricing at Apollo Hospital has gone viral on social media, after an X user claimed that a hospital executive offered him a 40% discount if he scheduled the scan during the early
hours of the morning.
The post was shared by X user Vishal Khandelwal, who said he had called Apollo Hospital to enquire about the cost of an MRI. According to his account, the hospital executive quoted a price of ₹16,000 for the scan.
Khandelwal said he reacted with an “Oh!” after hearing the price. However, the conversation reportedly took an unexpected turn when the executive told him that the hospital offered “HAPPY HOURS” between 2 AM and 6 AM, during which he could get the MRI done at a 40% discount.
Sharing the exchange on X, Khandelwal wrote, “Called up Apollo Hospital for an MRI. “Sir cost is Rs 16,000.”
“Oh!”
“But we have HAPPY HOURS between 2 AM and 6 AM where you can get it done for 40% discount.” Happy hours…for an MRI! 😅”
The reference to “happy hours” for a medical diagnostic procedure quickly caught the attention of social media users, with many finding the wording unusual, while others discussed the possible reasons behind offering discounted scans during off-peak hours.
One user linked the post to their own alleged experience with Apollo, writing, “Its all happy hours for them. Their poor ICU management killed my mother. We talk about medical tourism in India but accountability is a mirage.”
Another user took a lighter view of the situation, commenting, “That’s so funny and may be, we might soon find pubs in hospitals too.”
Some users, however, attempted to explain why hospitals could offer lower prices for diagnostic scans during late-night hours. One commenter said, “MRI machines needs to be permanently in cryogenic cooling/venting and this cannot be switched off. imaging computer systems will need recalibration if switched off. scanning takes time only limited scans can be taken throughout the day. discount is to use the MRI when idle at.”
Another user questioned whether MRI scans are commonly conducted during such hours, saying, “Seems like a joke!!! Never heard of MRI being done at these odd hours. Only emergen are managed at wee hours.”
The discussion also turned towards the pricing of diagnostic services at corporate hospitals. One user wrote, “That is Corporate hospital for you. Happy hours would mean lean period. Diagnostic agencies would be 50 to 60 percent of that cost.”
Another commenter claimed that similar discounts are indeed available at some Apollo branches, writing, “Surprisingly it’s true, Apollo branches like Bannerghatta provide up to 50% off on MRI/CT scans from 10 PM–6 AM, while Pune offers 50% between 8 PM–midnight, aligning closely with the 2–6 AM 40% “happy hours” quoted.”
