CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: St Lukes Hospital

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence
A fair price for this
$236
about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $225–$287
modeled estimate · not a bill or quote
What this hospital charges insurers
$247
About the fair price
about $11 over the fair price · 1.0× Medicare
Medicare pays $244 Fair price $236 This hospital $247 Cash price $2,468 Hospital's list price $4,536

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other MN hospitals

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

Cheapest $79 Priciest $247

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 MN 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 $236 (about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate). St Lukes Hospital charges insurers about $247, or about $2,468 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Duluth, MN.

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 $105 - $374 43%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor $97 - $1,091 40%
Aetnamajor $121 - $254 50%
Humanamajor $110 - $259 45%
HealthPartners $201 - $252 82%
Medica $97 - $374 40%
Security Health Plan $3,298 1353%
UCare $86 - $108 35%

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Insurance Before you use insurance

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A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

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Facility Profile & Credentials

  • Address: 915 East 1St Street, Duluth, MN 55805
  • CMS Rating: ★★★☆☆
  • Ownership Type: Voluntary non-profit - Private
  • Hospital Type: Acute Care Hospitals