US Health Care Costs

MRI of the pelvis, with and without contrast

CPT 72197 · Scans and imaging · hospital facility charge

At the 176 hospitals whose price files we have read so far, the typical cash price is $3,091, and most charge between $812 and $12,725 (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

$3,091typical cash price
$1,444typical commercial insurer rate
$5,517typical 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$4,788$1,065$8,511$904
California16$5,197$946$21,561$972
Colorado1$3,736$3,736$3,736$1,349
Connecticut1$2,819$2,819$2,819$940
Delaware1$4,355$4,355$4,355$1,620
Florida16$9,137$1,687$21,256$3,304
Georgia7$1,934$1,491$7,734$917
Iowa1$4,800$4,800$4,800$920
Idaho2$2,263$2,263$2,263$2,410
Illinois9$3,613$1,990$9,093$2,227
Indiana3$1,106$866$1,614$932
Kansas3$17,302$15,487$19,117$2,447
Kentucky2$1,822$1,434$2,211$2,432
Massachusetts4$4,555$3,254$4,879$1,929
Maryland3$1,050$659$1,359–
Michigan3$480$480$5,536$618
Minnesota1$1,060$1,060$1,060$1,355
Missouri6$2,334$730$2,881$1,507
Mississippi1$2,089$2,089$2,089$772
North Carolina6$2,759$1,805$3,973$2,381
Nebraska1$1,614$1,614$1,614$1,333
New Jersey10$477$395$1,103$798
Nevada1$11,969$11,969$11,969$870
New York3$2,680$1,810$3,685$840
Ohio10$1,263$386$3,400$681
Oklahoma3$2,784$1,252$2,891$1,656
Oregon1$4,692$4,692$4,692$546
Pennsylvania11$3,535$394$12,508$966
South Carolina5$3,372$2,525$12,725$1,623
South Dakota1$4,811$4,811$4,811$3,308
Tennessee3$7,093$1,859$12,327$736
Texas26$7,246$1,232$32,208$1,684
Utah2$2,882$2,648$3,116$2,986
Virginia7$3,166$3,166$10,663$1,558
Washington2$2,751$2,017$3,485$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 pelvis cost at a hospital?

At 167 hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for MRI of the pelvis is $3,091, and most charge between $812 and $12,725. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $1,444. 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 pelvis?

At 33 of the 157 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.

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