CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: University of Arkansas Medical Sciences

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$218

about 0.9× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $177–$333

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$164

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $54 under the fair price · 0.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $218 This hospital $164 Cash price $608 Hospital's list price $1,014

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other AR hospitals

One of the lower prices — 6 of 8 other AR hospitals charge more for the same procedure.

Cheapest $118 Priciest $221

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 AR hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $218 (about 0.9× the $244 Medicare rate). University of Arkansas Medical Sciences charges insurers about $164, or about $608 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Little Rock, AR.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$92 - $679	38%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$92 - $351	38%
Aetnamajor	$90 - $225	37%
Cignamajor	$93 - $890	38%
Humanamajor	$92 - $230	38%
Ambetter (Centene)	$131 - $328	54%
Devoted Health	$94 - $234	39%
WellCare	$91 - $228	37%
+ 7 smaller / regional plans	$90 - $627

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Military & VA.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 608), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 72148.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm University of Arkansas Medical Sciences is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 72148.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at University of Arkansas Medical Sciences

Compare: MRI, lower back (no contrast) at other AR hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.