CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (with and without contrast)

Facility: Banner Payson Medical Center

Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$1,215

about 3.4× the $356 Medicare rate · typically $654–$1,612

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$1,213

About the fair price

about $2 under the fair price · 3.4× Medicare

Medicare pays $356 Fair price $1,215 This hospital $1,213 Cash price $1,301 Hospital's list price $2,550

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other AZ hospitals

Highest price of the 9 AZ hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $115 Priciest $1,213

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

A fair price for a MRI, brain (with and without contrast) is about $1,215 (about 3.4× the $356 Medicare rate). Banner Payson Medical Center charges insurers about $1,213, or about $1,301 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Payson, AZ.

What each insurance company pays

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

6 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	$1,046 - $1,708	293%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$1,046 - $1,618	293%
Aetnamajor	$1,038 - $1,688	291%
Cignamajor	$1,046 - $2,030	293%
Humanamajor	$1,108	311%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$1,046	293%
Banner Health	$267 - $1,046	75%
Devoted Health	$1,150	323%
Health Net	$267 - $1,547	75%
Oscar Health	$1,725	484%
UPMC Health Plan	$1,046	293%
+ 13 smaller / regional plans	$267 - $2,295

Government programs also on file: 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 1,301), 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: 70553.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Banner Payson Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 70553.
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 Banner Payson Medical Center

Compare: MRI, brain (with and without contrast) at other AZ hospitals

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