MRI Scan Cost in the US: With and Without Insurance (2026)
A hospital's own price file can list a brain MRI at $2,324 cash in the same city where an imaging centre publishes $300 for the same procedure code. This guide explains why, and exactly how to pay less, whether you have insurance or not.
Key insight: The gap is not a rumour, it is published. Methodist Dallas Medical Center's own transparency file lists $2,324 cash for a brain MRI; the published programme rate at participating Dallas imaging centres is $300 for the same scan code. Same city, same code, both figures posted by the providers themselves.
How much does an MRI cost with insurance?
With insurance you never pay a scan price. You pay your share of the rate your insurer has already negotiated: whatever is left of your deductible, then your coinsurance (commonly 20%), until you hit your out-of-pocket maximum. For 2026 that maximum is capped by law at $10,600 for self-only cover and $21,200 for other than self-only cover[CMS] on ACA-compliant plans.
So the number that decides your bill is where you already are in your deductible year, not the price on the hospital's chargemaster. Have the same knee MRI in January with an unmet deductible and you pay the full negotiated rate. Have it in November, past your deductible, and you pay 20% of it. On Medicare's published $438 rate for a brain MRI in a hospital outpatient department, that 20% is $87. Have it after you have reached your out-of-pocket maximum and you pay nothing at all. Two people on the identical plan, at the identical clinic, can therefore pay nothing and the full negotiated rate for the same scan in the same year.
The second lever is which in-network site you use. A hospital outpatient radiology department and a freestanding imaging centre can both be in-network yet be paid on different fee schedules, so your 20% is applied to a different number. Medicare's published rates show the shape of it: a brain MRI (code 70551) is about $438 at a hospital outpatient department against about $322 at an ambulatory surgical centre. Ask your insurer for the allowed amount at each facility, not just whether both are in-network.
Out-of-pocket maximum: CMS, Premium Adjustment Percentage and Maximum Annual Limitation on Cost Sharing for the 2027 Benefit Year, 29 January 2026, which states the 2026 parameters. Medicare figures: CMS Procedure Price Lookup, 2026 national averages. Checked 7 September 2026.
Not sure how you'll pay? Map your route first.
Americans pay for MRI six different ways: employer insurance, cash-pay, Medicare, Medicaid, health shares, and charity care. Our payment routes hub covers who each lane fits, what it really costs, and the catch in each, then sends you to the right deep-dive guide.
US MRI Prices by Body Part (2026)
Both columns are prices somebody published, not estimates. The left column is the per-scan rate a freestanding operator posts on its own rate card. The right column is what New Jersey hospitals put in their own federal price files as the discounted cash price for the same procedure code, which is the only US hospital price anyone is legally required to publish. Where we have not parsed a code or nobody publishes a rate, the cell says so.
| Body Part | Published imaging-centre rate | Hospital cash price, NJ files |
|---|---|---|
| Brain / Head (70551) | $265–$300 | $264–$3,020 up to $10,725 where the chargemaster is republished as the cash price |
| Knee (73721) | $279–$300 | $264–$2,904 up to $15,487 where the chargemaster is republished as the cash price |
| Lumbar spine (72148) | $263–$300 | $264–$3,076 up to $32,281 where the chargemaster is republished as the cash price |
| Shoulder (73221) | $265 | $264–$1,798 up to $16,641 where the chargemaster is republished as the cash price |
| Abdomen / Pelvis | $270–$300 | Code not yet parsed |
| Cardiac | No published rate | Code not yet parsed |
| Full Body (screening) | $999–$2,499 | Not published as a package |
Sources: radiologyassist.com national and city rate cards, prenuvo.com/pricing and ezra.com/pricing, all checked 16 September 2026; hospital figures from our own parse of all 53 reachable New Jersey hospital price files published under 45 CFR 180, files dated 31 December 2025 to 2 September 2026, collected 16 September 2026. Hospital-by-hospital working: New Jersey hospital imaging prices. Hospital prices in other states will differ; we publish them as we parse them.
With Insurance, What You Actually Pay
Having insurance doesn't mean the MRI is free, or even cheap. Understanding how US health insurance calculates your share is critical.
The amount you pay out-of-pocket before insurance starts covering costs. KFF's 2025 employer survey puts the average at $1,886 for workers with single coverage who have a general annual deductible. If you haven't met yours, you pay the full negotiated rate.
A fixed amount you pay per service, e.g. $75 per specialist visit. Some plans have a copay for imaging ($150–$300). Applies after deductible is met.
Your percentage of the bill after deductible, typically 20% (insurance pays 80%). On Medicare's published $438 rate for a brain MRI in a hospital outpatient department, the patient's 20% is $87.
Once you hit this limit (ACA cap $10,600 individual, $21,200 family in 2026), insurance covers 100% for the rest of the year.
Surprise bill warning: If your deductible isn't met and you use a hospital, your insurer's negotiated rate (what you pay) can be higher than the cash-pay rate at an independent centre. Always compare the two before booking.
The Hospital vs Imaging Centre Price Gap
Action: When your doctor orders an MRI, ask: “Can you refer me to a freestanding imaging centre rather than the hospital radiology department?” Most doctors can do this, and many will if you ask. On the two published Dallas prices above, that one step is the difference between $300 and $2,324 for the same scan code. See the full working in MRI cost in Dallas.
What Medicare actually pays, and why cash prices are so much higher
The clearest proof that hospital cash prices are inflated comes from the government's own rate. Medicare's public Procedure Price Lookup shows a brain MRI (procedure code 70551) costs about $438 at a hospital outpatient department[medicare.gov], of which you pay 20% (about $87) after the $283 Part B deductible. At an ambulatory surgical centre the same scan is about $322 (you pay about $64)[medicare.gov].
Compare that with what hospitals publish for self-pay patients. HonorHealth's own price list shows a brain MRI “average total” of $1,328 rising to $3,919 for a cervical spine MRI with contrast and $7,354 for a chest MRA with and without contrast, the highest line in the document[honorhealth.com], and that excludes the radiologist's fee. The same sheet shows the discount on offer: that $1,328 brain MRI is listed at $863 direct pay and $664 prompt pay. So the same scan Medicare values at about $438 is listed near $1,328 and up at a hospital. That gap is exactly what you are negotiating against when you ask for the self-pay or prompt-pay rate.
Medicare figures are 2026 national averages from the CMS Procedure Price Lookup and vary by locality. They are what Medicare pays, not a cash price; uninsured patients are billed the hospital's own rate unless they request the self-pay price.
8 Cash Pay Strategies to Reduce Your MRI Cost
These strategies work whether you have insurance or not.
- Ask for a referral to a freestanding imaging centre
The most impactful step. Tell your doctor: 'Please refer me to an independent imaging centre, not the hospital radiology department.' On the two published Dallas prices for the same brain MRI code, that is the difference between $300 and $2,324.
- Call ahead and ask for the 'self-pay' or 'cash-pay' rate
Many imaging centres have a lower unadvertised price for self-paying patients. Say these words explicitly: 'I'm paying out-of-pocket. What is your cash-pay rate for a [body part] MRI?' You may get 30–60% off the standard rate.
- Benchmark against the operators that do publish
Most centres quote by phone, but a few publish. RadiologyAssist lists $265 all-in for an MRI without contrast (median $301 across its network) and Sesame Care reports platform averages of $387 without contrast and $452 with. Treat those as the number a competitive cash quote should be near, not a national average.
- Get a referral without insurance via a virtual visit
If you don't have a doctor or insurance, a paid telehealth visit can produce the imaging order. Sesame Care lists visits starting at $34 and reports an average visit of $37; the doctor can issue a referral letter you can take to any independent imaging centre.
- Check for FQHCs and community health centres
Federally Qualified Health Centres (FQHCs) offer services on a sliding-fee scale based on income. Some offer or can arrange diagnostic imaging at subsidised rates.
- Ask about payment plans before you decline
Most imaging centres offer 0% interest instalment payment plans, often for 6–24 months. Never decline a necessary scan purely on cost without asking about financing.
- Compare cash-pay vs insured rate if deductible not met
If your annual deductible hasn't been met, you often pay the full insurer-negotiated rate, sometimes higher than the cash-pay rate at an imaging centre. Calculate both before booking.
- Apply for charity care or financial assistance
Most non-profit hospitals are legally required to offer charity care programmes. Ask the billing department about their financial assistance policy before or after your scan.
MRI Cost by US State
For 48 states the hospital figure below is measured, not estimated: it is the median cash price a brain MRI (CPT 70551) is listed at in the hospitals’ own federal price files, from our parse of 1,768 of the 3,107 acute-care hospitals in the country. The states we have not reached yet keep a labelled estimate. Independent imaging-centre figures are estimates everywhere: no operator publishes a per-state cash price.
The same scan, a nine-fold spread. Across the 48 states we have measured, the median hospital cash price for a brain MRI runs from $352 in New Jersey to $3,210 in South Dakota, a factor of 9 for the identical CPT code. Inside a single state the range is wider still: in New Jersey the same scan runs $264 to $3,020 across 40 hospitals’ files.
Find the centres themselves: our imaging centre directory lists every fixed-site MRI and radiology centre in the CMS NPI registry by state and metro, with registry phone numbers, nearest alternatives and hospital cash prices where parsed. Start with your state, for example Texas, Florida or California.
| State | Hospital cash MRI (median) | Based on | Independent centre (est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $1,381 | 14 hospitals’ files | $450–$1,100 |
| Alaska | $2,998 | 3 hospitals’ files | $800–$2,200 |
| Arizona | $516 | 27 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,400 |
| Arkansas | $1,187 | 11 hospitals’ files | $450–$1,050 |
| California | $2,307 | 122 hospitals’ files | $600–$1,800 |
| Colorado | $2,710 | 15 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,500 |
| Connecticut | $1,626 | 4 hospitals’ files | $750–$2,000 |
| Delaware | $2,354 | 3 hospitals’ files | $600–$1,500 |
| District of Columbia | $2,800–$7,800 | Estimate | $800–$2,100 |
| Florida | $1,360 | 39 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,500 |
| Georgia | $1,212 | 19 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,300 |
| Hawaii | $1,418 | 9 hospitals’ files | $800–$2,000 |
| Idaho | $1,595 | 6 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,300 |
| Illinois | $1,505 | 47 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,600 |
| Indiana | $693 | 24 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,300 |
| Iowa | $2,034 | 20 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,250 |
| Kansas | $584 | 15 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,200 |
| Kentucky | $2,592 | 34 hospitals’ files | $470–$1,200 |
| Louisiana | $692 | 45 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,350 |
| Maine | $655 | 7 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,500 |
| Maryland | $513 | 16 hospitals’ files | $700–$1,900 |
| Massachusetts | $1,582 | 14 hospitals’ files | $800–$2,200 |
| Michigan | $2,423 | 26 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,400 |
| Minnesota | $1,281 | 35 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,500 |
| Mississippi | $1,079 | 17 hospitals’ files | $420–$1,000 |
| Missouri | $1,168 | 28 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,300 |
| Montana | $1,900–$5,200 | Estimate | $550–$1,400 |
| Nebraska | $1,495 | 17 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,250 |
| Nevada | $1,977 | 5 hospitals’ files | $520–$1,400 |
| New Hampshire | $1,598 | 4 hospitals’ files | $650–$1,700 |
| New Jersey | $352 | 40 hospitals’ files | $700–$1,900 |
| New Mexico | $2,141 | 8 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,300 |
| New York | $812 | 47 hospitals’ files | $800–$2,200 |
| North Carolina | $1,883 | 40 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,300 |
| North Dakota | $1,213 | 3 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,250 |
| Ohio | $1,275 | 57 hospitals’ files | $480–$1,300 |
| Oklahoma | $1,361 | 16 hospitals’ files | $450–$1,200 |
| Oregon | $1,540 | 22 hospitals’ files | $600–$1,600 |
| Pennsylvania | $1,017 | 51 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,500 |
| Puerto Rico | $1,200–$3,500 | Estimate | $350–$900 |
| Rhode Island | $1,184 | 4 hospitals’ files | $700–$1,800 |
| South Carolina | $3,147 | 19 hospitals’ files | $470–$1,250 |
| South Dakota | $3,210 | 7 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,250 |
| Tennessee | $710 | 34 hospitals’ files | $450–$1,100 |
| Texas | $2,190 | 125 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,400 |
| Utah | $1,741 | 6 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,350 |
| Vermont | $2,364 | 3 hospitals’ files | $600–$1,500 |
| Virginia | $1,760 | 45 hospitals’ files | $550–$1,500 |
| Washington | $1,362 | 32 hospitals’ files | $700–$1,900 |
| West Virginia | $1,433 | 12 hospitals’ files | $470–$1,200 |
| Wisconsin | $2,110 | 28 hospitals’ files | $500–$1,350 |
| Wyoming | $1,900–$5,300 | Estimate | $550–$1,400 |
How to read this table. A single amber figure with a hospital count beside it is measured: the median of the cash prices those hospitals publish in their own federal files for a brain MRI (CPT 70551). The true spread inside a state is far wider than the median, so treat it as a midpoint, not a quote. A figure shown as a range is our own estimate for a state the crawl has not yet parsed; no organisation publishes a per-state cash price, so we label it rather than dress it in a citation. Independent imaging-centre figures are estimates everywhere. See our methodology.
What hospitals themselves publish: US hospitals must post their gross charges and self-pay cash prices in a machine-readable file. We read every one of them in New Jersey and put the gross charge, the cash price and the discount side by side, hospital by hospital, in New Jersey hospital imaging prices. It is the clearest look anywhere on this site at how far a hospital's sticker price sits above the rate it will actually take in cash, and at how differently hospitals interpret the word “cash”.
Going deeper by city: our Texas MRI cost hub breaks the state down with verified published cash prices for Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Fort Worth, plus each city's hospital transparency figures.
Getting a Referral If You're Uninsured
Sesame Care
From $34Virtual consultation with a licensed physician who can issue an imaging referral letter. Sesame lists visits starting at $34 and reports an average visit of $37. Book online, consult by video, then take the referral to the centre of your choice. sesamecare.com, checked 16 September 2026.
RadiologyAssist
$265 MRI, no contrastBooking programme with published per-scan rates at partner centres, radiologist report included. Its own rate card lists $265 for an MRI without contrast and states a median cost per MRI of $301. Its separate Get Healthy Grant is a cash stipend of up to $50, not a discounted scan price. radiologyassist.com, checked 16 September 2026.
Green Imaging
Quote per orderPhysician-owned cash-pay network that bundles the scan and the radiologist read into one upfront price, quoted per imaging order rather than published as a rate card. Send the order and your ZIP code to get the price.
US MRI, Frequently Asked Questions
The published numbers are the place to start. RadiologyAssist posts $265 for an MRI without contrast nationally and $300 flat for five common scans in Dallas; Sesame Care reports a platform average of $387 without contrast and $452 with. Hospitals publish their own cash prices in federal price files, and across all 53 reachable New Jersey hospitals the cash price for the same brain MRI code runs from $264 to $10,725. Always call and explicitly ask for the 'self-pay' or 'cash-pay' rate, and check what you are being offered: eight of those 53 hospitals publish their chargemaster unchanged and call it a cash price.