CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Avala

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$357

about 1.5× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $222–$437

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$253

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $104 under the fair price · 1.0× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $357 This hospital $253 Cash price $525 Hospital's list price $2,183

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other LA hospitals

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

Cheapest $119 Priciest $253

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

A fair price for a MRI, brain (no contrast) is about $357 (about 1.5× the $244 Medicare rate). Avala charges insurers about $253, or about $525 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Covington, LA.

What each insurance company pays

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

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield AetnaCignaHumanaKaiser 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	$594	244%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$230 - $253	94%

Government programs also on file: Medicare.

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 525), 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 Avala 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 Avala

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

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