US Health Care Costs

MRI of the abdomen, with and without contrast

CPT 74183 · Scans and imaging · hospital facility charge

At the 176 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $2,972, and most charge between $834 and $13,527 (the middle 80%; price files contain errors, so the extremes are left out). Pick a state to compare its hospitals.

Estimate what you would pay

$2,972typical cash price
$1,529typical commercial insurer rate
$5,661typical list price
176hospitals in 37 states so far
Typical cash price by state

Every state

StateHospitalsTypical cash priceLowest cashHighest cashTypical insurer price
Alabama1$4,747$4,747$4,747$711
Arizona2$5,338$1,065$9,611$904
California16$4,334$860$33,436$974
Colorado1$3,092$3,092$3,092$1,349
Connecticut1$2,826$2,826$2,826$942
Delaware1$4,074$4,074$4,074$1,620
Florida16$8,985$1,510$27,480$3,447
Georgia7$2,091$1,545$7,734$917
Iowa1$5,325$5,325$5,325$920
Idaho2$2,263$2,263$2,263$2,410
Illinois9$3,613$1,990$7,928$2,227
Indiana3$1,071$866$1,619$932
Kansas3$18,839$15,427$22,252$2,437
Kentucky2$1,413$1,391$1,434$1,681
Massachusetts4$4,755$4,191$4,889$2,045
Maryland3$1,059$665$1,372–
Michigan3$480$480$5,536$620
Minnesota1$1,060$1,060$1,060$1,355
Missouri6$2,128$730$3,186$1,507
Mississippi1$1,929$1,929$1,929$772
North Carolina6$2,623$2,058$4,307$2,482
Nebraska1$1,723$1,723$1,723$1,333
New Jersey10$477$395$969$774
Nevada1$11,969$11,969$11,969$872
New York3$2,680$1,288$3,300$840
Ohio10$1,238$385$3,400$681
Oklahoma3$2,923$2,877$2,955$1,721
Oregon1$4,692$4,692$4,692$549
Pennsylvania11$3,660$394$12,508$972
South Carolina5$2,743$2,445$17,362$1,623
South Dakota1$4,866$4,866$4,866$3,345
Tennessee3$7,093$1,859$12,327$740
Texas26$8,352$1,225$33,074$1,758
Utah2$4,097$3,765$4,429$4,245
Virginia7$2,854$2,854$11,042$1,757
Washington2$3,064$2,017$4,112$1,150
Wisconsin1$3,415$3,415$3,415$1,257
176 hospitals so far: only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed, and more are added every night. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does MRI of the abdomen cost at a hospital?

At 169 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for MRI of the abdomen is $2,972, and most charge between $834 and $13,527. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $1,529. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for MRI of the abdomen?

At 33 of the 159 hospitals that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

Before you go