CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Faith Regional Health Services

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$444

about 1.8× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $252–$1,176

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$277

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $167 under the fair price · 1.1× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $444 This hospital $277 Cash price $2,482 Hospital's list price $3,966

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NE hospitals

On the higher side — 7 of 8 other NE hospitals charge less.

Cheapest $132 Priciest $301

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NE 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 $444 (about 1.8× the $244 Medicare rate). Faith Regional Health Services charges insurers about $277, or about $2,482 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Norfolk, NE.

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✓ Aetna CignaHumanaKaiser 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	$272 - $450	112%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$264	108%
Aetnamajor	$264	108%
Ambetter (Centene)	$272	112%
Medica	$277	114%
Molina	$290	119%
WellCare	$272	112%
+ 3 smaller / regional plans	$277 - $3,206

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 2,482), 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: 72148.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Faith Regional Health Services is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 72148.
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 Faith Regional Health Services

Compare: MRI, lower back (no contrast) at other NE hospitals

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