US Health Care Costs

MRI of the lower back, with and without contrast in New York

CPT 72158 · hospital facility charge

Cash prices range from $1,380 to $3,850 at the 3 New York hospitals whose price files we have read so far.

Estimate what you would pay

$2,680typical cash price
$840typical commercial insurer rate
$1.4k–$3.9kcash price range, 3 hospitals
Cash price by hospital, lowest first
Garnet Health Medical Center
$1,380
Strong Memorial Hospital
$2,680
Maimonides Medical Center
$3,850

New York typical cash price: $2,680

New York hospitals compared

HospitalCityList priceCash priceInsurers (median)
Garnet Health Medical CenterMiddletown$5,519$1,380$917$607–$2,922 · 12 plans
Strong Memorial HospitalRochester$3,153$2,680$840$505–$1,485 · 18 plans
Maimonides Medical CenterBrooklyn$3,850$3,850$685$592–$1,167 · 18 plans
Only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor (radiologist, surgeon, anesthesiologist) usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does MRI of the lower back cost at a hospital in New York?

At 3 New York hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for MRI of the lower back is $2,680, and most charge between $1,640 and $3,616. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $840. 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 lower back?

At 0 of the 3 hospitals in New York 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.

Which hospital in New York has the lowest cash price for MRI of the lower back?

Of the hospitals whose price files we have read, the lowest published cash price is $1,380 at Garnet Health Medical Center. Confirm the price with the hospital before you book.

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.

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