CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$249

about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $216–$395

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$215

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $34 under the fair price · 0.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $249 This hospital $215 Cash price $644 Hospital's list price $858

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other LA hospitals

A typical price — 5 charge more and 3 charge less, among the 9 LA hospitals compared.

Cheapest $119 Priciest $237

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $249 (about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate). West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital charges insurers about $215, or about $644 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Sulphur, LA.

What each insurance company pays

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

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

✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Humana UnitedHealthcareCignaKaiser 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
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$215 - $379	88%
Aetnamajor	$215	88%
Humanamajor	$215	88%
+ 1 smaller / regional plan	$215

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Military & VA.

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 644), 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 West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital 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 West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital

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

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