CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: New Orleans East Hospital

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$468

about 1.9× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $262–$513

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$406

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $62 under the fair price · 1.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $468 This hospital $406 Cash price $560 Hospital's list price $3,503

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 $406

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 $468 (about 1.9× the $244 Medicare rate). New Orleans East Hospital charges insurers about $406, or about $560 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in New Orleans, 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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Cigna AetnaHumanaKaiser 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	$330 - $406	135%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$245 - $345	101%
Cignamajor	$1,000	410%

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 560), 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 New Orleans East 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 New Orleans East Hospital

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

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