Velacur Liver Scan
A quick, painless test that checks for fatty liver and early signs of liver disease. It helps us identify metabolic concerns before they become serious.
Why liver health is important
Your liver sits on the upper right side of your belly. It is the largest solid organ in your body and it works all day to keep you healthy.
Your liver has three main jobs
It cleans your blood
It makes bile, which helps you digest food
It stores sugar so your body has energy when you need it
Three common long-term liver problems
Fatty liver disease, also called NASH
Viral hepatitis, like hepatitis B or C
Liver damage from drinking too much alcohol
Nearly one in three adults has fatty liver disease.
With early detection and intervention fatty liver disease can be halted or even reversed.
What is Velacur?
It is a non-invasive liver scan that is painless ultrasound that can be performed about 30 minutes. It measures how much fat and scar tissue is in your liver.
It helps your provider catch fatty liver disease early before it becomes serious. It feels like a simple ultrasound with a small vibration pad under your back.
FAQs
Who should consider a scan?
Overweight or obesity
Type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes
High cholesterol or triglycerides
High blood pressure
Regular alcohol consumption
Abnormal liver blood tests
A history of fatty liver
A family history of fatty liver
How to prepare for your exam
Nothing to eat or drink at least 4 hours before your appointment
Sips of water with meds is ok.
Wear comfortable clothing that allows access to your rib cage
What to expect during your exam?
A quick ultrasound measures your liver’s health. Results are sent to your patient portal or reviewed at your next scheduled appointment.
How to schedule?
If you are a current patient, please call our office to schedule. If you’re new to our clinic, a referral from your provider is required to correctly bill insurance.
Insurance, Cost, and Reimbursement
We always submit your Velacur scan to insurance first.
The full cost of the scan is $490. Most insurance plans cover it. If your plan does not cover it, you still should not have to pay much out of pocket.
If insurance denies the scan
If insurance denies your claim, we ask you to pay the $490 so we can keep your care moving.
After that, we send your information to a patient assistance program by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals.
This program often covers most or all of the cost. Many patients end up paying $25 or less in the end.
How reimbursement works
We send everything needed to the assistance program. That includes:
Your scan results
Your superbill from Progress
Your receipt
Your insurance information
Your basic contact information
Once we send this, the assistance program takes over. They usually review your case within about 48 hours. Reimbursement often arrives in two weeks.
They will contact you directly from 1-877-219-7770 to set up your payment, which can be by check or electronic deposit.
Some patients ignore the call because the number looks like spam. If they cannot reach you, they will contact us and let us know.
What this means for you
Our goal is that you never pay more than about $25.
We handle the paperwork. We follow up. You just need to answer when Madrigal calls so they can send your reimbursement!