CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Abrazo Scottsdale Campus

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$287

about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $236–$460

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$230

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $57 under the fair price · 0.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $287 This hospital $230

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other AZ hospitals

A typical price — 2 charge more and 4 charge less, among the 9 AZ hospitals compared.

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 $287 (about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate). Abrazo Scottsdale Campus charges insurers about $230 — below the fair price — a good deal. 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.

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Aetna✓ Humana Blue Cross Blue ShieldCignaKaiser 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	$230 - $295	94%
Aetnamajor	$540 - $955	222%
Humanamajor	$426	175%
Ambetter (Centene)	$152	62%
Oscar Health	$175	72%

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, 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 Abrazo Scottsdale Campus 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 Abrazo Scottsdale Campus

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

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