Skip to main content
States Procedures Methodology Search
CMS Price Transparency Data Hospital file updated: 2026-03-23

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Chatuge Regional Hospital

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

Pillar 1 · The BaseRate™ CompositeHow 1.00× Fair BaseRate Works: Raw price averages unfairly penalize hospitals in high-wage cities or trauma centers treating sicker patients. We adjust for local CMS hospital wage levels and patient complexity first. A 1.00× score means right at the fair price average, 0.85× means 15% cheaper than fair market, and 1.30× means 30% above fair market.High Markup · Shop Alternatives
$465Fair BaseRate (1.88× Market)
Position vs. 1.00× Fair Price+88% Above Fair Price 1.00× (center of the bar) is the U.S. fair price average after accounting for local hospital wages and patient complexity. Left of center (<1.00×) is below fair price; right of center (>1.00×) is above fair price.

This hospital's typical commercial price is $875 compared to the $465 fair price benchmark.

Pillar 2 · VeriRate™ Data TrustHow VeriRate™ (0–100) Works: Hospitals are legally required to publish machine-readable price files, but some bury fake $0.01 numbers or omit cash discounts. VeriRate audits each file across 5 checks (hover any badge below to see what it tests).86/100 · Verified
86/100Hover Any Check Below to See How Prices Were Audited
File Completeness90Provenance (File Completeness): Checks whether the hospital published a complete, up-to-date machine-readable price file with valid CPT and MS-DRG billing codes instead of leaving blanks.
Price Logic88Coherence (Price Logic): Checks whether the hospital’s numbers make basic sense — e.g., self-pay cash price is lower than gross list price, with no fake $0.01 or $999,999 placeholder numbers.
Peer Alignment86Concordance (Peer Alignment): Checks whether reported prices sit in a realistic range compared to Medicare and nearby hospitals rather than wild 100× unit errors.
Clean Billing83Regularity (Clean Billing): Checks whether rates are structured consistently across procedures without erratic statistical spikes or hidden unbundled facility fees.
Real Cash Discount84Cash Honesty (Real Cash Discount): Checks whether the hospital offers a genuine self-pay cash discount that beats or matches commercial insurance rates instead of billing full sticker price.
Pillar 3 · Clinical Quality & ER SpeedChecks whether higher hospital prices actually buy better clinical quality — combining CMS Star Ratings, hospital safety scores, and emergency room wait times.High-Markup · Check Safety
CMS Star RatingNot RatedOfficial CMS Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating (1 to 5 stars) summarizing mortality, safety of care, readmissions, and patient experience.
Safety ScoreNot ScoredComposite patient safety score (0–100) derived from CMS hospital-acquired infection rates (CLABSI, CAUTI, MRSA, C. diff), surgical complications, and HCAHPS surveys.
Typical ER WaitNo ER DataMedian minutes patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, as reported to CMS Timely and Effective Care.

Balances commercial hospital prices against CMS clinical safety, infection control, and patient experience.

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence
A fair price for this
$465
about 1.9× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $212–$1,178
modeled estimate · not a bill or quote
What this hospital charges insurers
$875
Well above the fair price
about $410 over the fair price · 3.6× Medicare
Medicare pays $244 Fair price $465 This hospital $875 Cash price $827 Hospital's list price $1,654

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other GA hospitals

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

Cheapest $70 Priciest $875

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $465 (about 1.9× the $244 Medicare rate). Chatuge Regional Hospital charges insurers about $875, or about $827 in cash — well above the fair price. Located in Hiawassee, GA.

This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less

Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $465. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.

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

UnitedHealthcareBlue Cross Blue ShieldAetnaCignaHumana 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 $364 - $1,239 149%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor $579 - $1,200 238%
Aetnamajor $513 - $1,406 210%
Cignamajor $579 - $1,158 238%
Humanamajor $579 238%
Amerigroup $373 153%
CareSource $884 363%
WellCare $867 356%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan $1,158

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Insurance Before you use insurance

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Facility Profile & Credentials

  • Address: 110 S Main Street, Hiawassee, GA 30546
  • CMS Rating: No CMS Rating
  • Ownership Type: Government - Hospital District or Authority
  • Hospital Type: Critical Access Hospitals

Other Procedures at Chatuge Regional Hospital

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

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

Inline Bill X-Ray & 501(r) Calculator 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · Free Care ≤200% FPL · AGB Cap 36.3%

Audit a Bill or Quote at Chatuge Regional Hospital (Zero PHI Required)

CMS CCN: 111324
CPT 72148
Fair BaseRate™ $465
Medicare Rate $244
Self-Pay Cash $827
Insurer Median $875
Pre-filled with Chatuge Regional Hospital’s charged/list benchmark
Screened against 2026 HHS Federal Poverty Guidelines
2026 FPL: $15,650 + $5,500 per additional person
Step 1 · 501(r) Charity Care Check 501(r) AGB Cap: $600 (274% FPL)

Statutory 501(r) AGB Cap Limits Bill to $600

At 274% FPL (201%–400% FPL tier), 26 U.S.C. § 501(r)(5) caps FAP-eligible bills at Amounts Generally Billed (36.3% of gross = $600).

Step 2 · Cash vs. Insurance Arbitrage Save $827 Paying Cash

Self-Pay Cash Rate ($827) Beats Your Bill

Chatuge Regional Hospital's published 45 CFR § 180 self-pay cash rate is $827 (vs. $875 commercial insurer median). Ask billing to reclassify the visit to prompt-pay self-pay if it beats your deductible.

Step 3 · Fair BaseRate Target +$1,189 Above Fair BaseRate

Negotiate Toward $465 Fair BaseRate ($244 Medicare)

Your bill ($1,654) is $1,189 above the denoised Fair BaseRate ($465) and 6.8× the $244 Medicare rate.

1-Click Factual Dispute Summary: Copy a citation-backed benchmark memo (with CMS CCN, CPT code, Medicare reference, Fair BaseRate, and 26 U.S.C. § 501(r) calculations) to paste into patient-portal messages or billing appeals.
Care-Setting Arbitrage, Bilateral SVD Insurer Leverage & Regional Alternatives

How to Pay Less Nearby: Freestanding Centers, Insurer Leverage & Outpatient Savings

45 CFR § 180 Primary-Source Lineage & Federal Verification Verified CMS CCN 111324

Verify the Raw Data: Official Hospital MRF, CMS Medicare.gov & Federal Filings

MRF Portal Indexed (CMS_45_CFR_180_FILING.json) Verify on CMS Medicare.gov (CCN 111324) ↗ CMS HCRIS Cost Reports ↗
Published MRF FileCMS_45_CFR_180_FILING.json
Publication / Vintage2026-03-23
Validated Rate RowsIndexed (CMS v3.0.0)
File Integrity DigestVerified · CCN 111324

Safe-Harbor Data Corrections: Parsed directly from public 45 CFR § 180 hospital filings, CMS Care Compare, and CMS HCRIS cost reports. Hospital compliance officers may submit updated MRF URLs or rate tables for verification.

Submit MRF Update Correction Policy