CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Decatur County Hospital

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price low confidence

A fair price for this

$719

about 2.9× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $216–$2,032

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$2,022

Well above the fair price

about $1,303 over the fair price · 8.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $719 This hospital $2,022 Cash price $2,324 Hospital's list price $2,905

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 $2,022

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 $719 (about 2.9× the $244 Medicare rate). Decatur County Hospital charges insurers about $2,022, or about $2,324 in cash — well above the fair price. Located in Leon, IA.

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 $719. 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

✓ 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	$1,743 - $2,469	715%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$930 - $983	382%
Aetnamajor	$1,569 - $2,295	644%
Cignamajor	$2,498	1025%
Humanamajor	$2,121	870%
Amerigroup	$3,050	1251%
HealthPartners	$2,673	1097%
Medica	$2,324	953%
Medical Mutual	$2,556	1049%
Priority Health	$2,905	1192%
+ 17 smaller / regional plans	$1,511 - $2,963

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

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 2,324), 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 Decatur County Hospital 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 Decatur County Hospital

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

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