CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Sterling Regional Medcenter

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$294

about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $211–$664

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$262

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $32 under the fair price · 1.1× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $294 This hospital $262 Cash price $455 Hospital's list price $1,736

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other CO hospitals

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

Cheapest $70 Priciest $262

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $294 (about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate). Sterling Regional Medcenter charges insurers about $262, or about $455 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Sterling, CO.

What each insurance company pays

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

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Humana CignaKaiser 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	$243 - $1,646	100%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$538 - $2,059	221%
Aetnamajor	$484 - $1,614	199%
Humanamajor	$258	106%
Banner Health	$538	221%
Cigna HealthSpring	$538	221%
Devoted Health	$267	110%
Health Net	$1,562	641%
Medica	$538 - $1,446	221%
+ 8 smaller / regional plans	$243 - $1,649

Government programs also on file: Medicare.

Excludes 2 rental-network / third-party entries (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 455), 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 Sterling Regional Medcenter 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 Sterling Regional Medcenter

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

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