CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence
A fair price for this
$283
about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $216–$377
modeled estimate · not a bill or quote
What this hospital charges insurers
$267
About the fair price
about $16 under the fair price · 1.1× Medicare
Medicare pays $244 Fair price $283 This hospital $267 Cash price $2,232 Hospital's list price $4,058

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other CA hospitals

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

Cheapest $60 Priciest $267

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 CA 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 $283 (about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate). Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr charges insurers about $267, or about $2,232 in cash — about the fair price. Located in San Diego, CA.

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 $267 - $4,870 110%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor $267 - $2,451 110%
Aetnamajor $487 - $4,058 200%
Cignamajor $487 - $2,435 200%
Humanamajor $487 - $3,449 200%
Kaiser Permanentemajor $2,719 - $4,058 1115%
Health Net $360 - $11,403 148%
HealthPartners $2,638 1082%
Molina $336 138%
Sentara $387 159%
+ 66 smaller / regional plans $164 - $5,478
Government programs also on file: Medicaid, Military & VA.
Excludes 6 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

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Facility Profile & Credentials

  • Address: 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103
  • CMS Rating: ★★★★★
  • Ownership Type: Voluntary non-profit - Other
  • Hospital Type: Acute Care Hospitals