CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$322

about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $254–$674

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$371

Above the fair price

about $49 over the fair price · 1.5× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $322 This hospital $371 Cash price $515 Hospital's list price $1,841

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 $371

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 $322 (about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate). Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent charges insurers about $371, or about $515 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Shreveport, LA.

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 $322. 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	$223 - $1,544	91%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$223 - $793	91%
Aetnamajor	$223 - $1,038	91%
Cignamajor	$1,055	433%
Humanamajor	$215 - $371	88%
Amerigroup	$371	152%
AmeriHealth	$371	152%
Health Net	$601	247%
+ 3 smaller / regional plans	$223 - $371

Government programs also on file: Medicare.

Excludes 4 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 515), 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 Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent 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 Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent

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

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