CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Banner Fort Collins Medical Center

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$346

about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $267–$451

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$292

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $54 under the fair price · 1.2× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $346 This hospital $292 Cash price $336 Hospital's list price $1,067

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 $292

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 $346 (about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate). Banner Fort Collins Medical Center charges insurers about $292, or about $336 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Fort Collins, CO.

What each insurance company pays

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

5 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	$236 - $1,370	97%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$243 - $1,119	100%
Aetnamajor	$900	369%
Cignamajor	$243	100%
Humanamajor	$250	103%
Banner Health	$437	179%
Cigna HealthSpring	$243	100%
Devoted Health	$255	105%
Health Net	$960	394%
Medica	$243 - $889	100%
+ 10 smaller / regional plans	$243 - $1,014

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 336), 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 Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins Medical Center

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

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