CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Highlands Arh Regional Medical Center

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$182

about 0.7× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $138–$341

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$180

About the fair price

about $2 under the fair price · 0.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $182 This hospital $180 Cash price $3,509 Hospital's list price $5,849

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other KY hospitals

On the higher side — 7 of 8 other KY hospitals charge less.

Cheapest $117 Priciest $196

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

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $182 (about 0.7× the $244 Medicare rate). Highlands Arh Regional Medical Center charges insurers about $180, or about $3,509 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Prestonsburg, KY.

What each insurance company pays

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

4 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Humana CignaKaiser 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	$180 - $2,603	74%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$180 - $1,696	74%
Aetnamajor	$114 - $1,696	47%
Humanamajor	$180 - $1,747	74%
Molina	$1,730	710%
WellCare	$180	74%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan	$3,509

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 3,509), 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 Highlands Arh Regional 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 Highlands Arh Regional Medical Center

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

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