CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$201

about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $197–$393

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$190

About the fair price

about $11 under the fair price · 0.8× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $201 This hospital $190 Cash price $538 Hospital's list price $673

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other IA hospitals

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

Cheapest $65 Priciest $190

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

A fair price for a MRI, brain (no contrast) is about $201 (about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate). Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi charges insurers about $190, or about $538 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Des Moines, IA.

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	$68 - $621	28%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$66 - $524	27%
Aetnamajor	$65 - $739	27%
Cignamajor	$137 - $2,192	56%
Humanamajor	$68 - $188	28%
Amerigroup	$233	96%
HealthPartners	$143 - $524	59%
Medica	$1,326 - $1,488	544%
Molina	$66 - $247	27%
+ 2 smaller / regional plans	$68 - $254

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 538), 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: 70551.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 70551.
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 Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

Compare: MRI, brain (no contrast) at other IA hospitals

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