CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Banner Payson Medical Center

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$820

about 3.4× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $516–$1,010

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$699

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $121 under the fair price · 2.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $820 This hospital $699 Cash price $812 Hospital's list price $1,637

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 $75 Priciest $699

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 $820 (about 3.4× the $244 Medicare rate). Banner Payson Medical Center charges insurers about $699, or about $812 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. 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	$671 - $1,097	275%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$671 - $932	275%
Aetnamajor	$487 - $1,084	200%
Cignamajor	$671 - $1,303	275%
Humanamajor	$711	292%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$671	275%
Banner Health	$167 - $671	69%
Devoted Health	$738	303%
Health Net	$167 - $993	69%
Oscar Health	$1,107	454%
UPMC Health Plan	$671	275%
+ 13 smaller / regional plans	$167 - $1,473

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 812), 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 Banner Payson 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 Banner Payson Medical Center

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

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