CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Valleywise Health Medical Center

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$197

about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $185–$269

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$188

About the fair price

about $9 under the fair price · 0.8× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $197 This hospital $188 Cash price $293 Hospital's list price $1,890

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other AZ hospitals

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

Cheapest $75 Priciest $255

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $197 (about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate). Valleywise Health Medical Center charges insurers about $188, or about $293 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Phoenix, AZ.

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	$152 - $1,290	62%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$87 - $572	36%
Aetnamajor	$187 - $2,080	77%
Cignamajor	$71 - $2,560	29%
Humanamajor	$175 - $255	72%
Banner Health	$120 - $255	49%
Devoted Health	$120 - $255	49%
Health Net	$118 - $487	48%
Molina	$118 - $280	48%
Oscar Health	$78 - $780	32%
+ 12 smaller / regional plans	$120 - $2,400

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

Excludes 1 rental-network / third-party entry (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

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 293), 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 Valleywise Health Medical Center 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 Valleywise Health Medical Center

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

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