CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$200

about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $189–$386

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$188

About the fair price

about $12 under the fair price · 0.8× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $200 This hospital $188 Cash price $520 Hospital's list price $650

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 $188

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $200 (about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate). Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi charges insurers about $188, or about $520 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 - $510	27%
Aetnamajor	$65 - $710	27%
Cignamajor	$138 - $2,219	57%
Humanamajor	$68 - $183	28%
Amerigroup	$233	96%
HealthPartners	$143 - $506	59%
Medica	$1,342 - $1,506	551%
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 520), 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 Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi 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 Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi

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

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