MRI, lower back (no contrast)
Facility: Liberty Hospital
Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 72148
- Insurance Median: $353
- Cash Discount Price: $865
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 1.45x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $243.77 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $73 - $2,426 | 30% |
| Aetna | $217 - $2,238 | 89% |
| Cigna | $217 | 89% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $217 - $359 | 89% |
| Medicare (plans) | $220 - $239 | 90% |
| Humana | $222 | 91% |
| Healthy Blue | $233 | 96% |
| Ambetter / Centene | $276 | 113% |
| Home State Health | $319 | 131% |
| Fox Everett | $1,840 | 755% |
| Phcs | $2,300 | 944% |
| Multiplan | $2,546 | 1044% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For this MRI of the lower back without contrast at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Missouri, the gross charge of $3,067 is significantly higher than the Medicare benchmarking rate of $243.77, with a markup factor of 1.4 times the Medicare amount. While the facility's cash median price of $865 is lower than the gross charge, it remains substantially above the Medicare rate, illustrating that commercial insurance negotiated rates often carry a heavy administrative premium. The data indicates 12 payers with varying allowed amounts, ranging from a low of $73 to a high of $2,546 across different insurance plans, meaning patients should verify their specific plan's allowed amount before scheduling to avoid unexpected costs.
Patients should be aware that cash-pay options can sometimes be more economical if their insurance negotiated rate exceeds the cash price, though the median negotiated rate of $353 suggests most plans will pay less than the cash option for this specific procedure. It is crucial to ask the hospital directly about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before check-in, as these upfront payment incentives can reduce the final bill by 20% to 50% by bypassing costly claims processing. Additionally, if you receive a bill that includes charges for services not rendered or unbundled components, you should request a formal itemized billing audit to identify errors and potentially negotiate a lower amount before paying.