CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: The University of Vermont Health Network - Champl

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$96

about 0.4× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $88–$221

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$98

About the fair price

about $2 over the fair price · 0.4× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $96 This hospital $98 Cash price $2,938 Hospital's list price $2,938

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NY hospitals

A typical price — 4 charge more and 4 charge less, among the 9 NY hospitals compared.

Cheapest $74 Priciest $161

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NY 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 $96 (about 0.4× the $244 Medicare rate). The University of Vermont Health Network - Champl charges insurers about $98, or about $2,938 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Plattsburgh, NY.

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	$46 - $4,313	19%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$33 - $4,466	14%
Aetnamajor	$66 - $5,088	27%
Humanamajor	$66 - $281	27%
Fidelis Care	$66 - $295	27%
Harvard Pilgrim	$178 - $4,522	73%
MagnaCare	$178 - $4,522	73%
MVP Health Care	$90 - $4,499	37%
+ 4 smaller / regional plans	$66 - $4,522

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

Excludes 2 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 2,938), 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 The University of Vermont Health Network - Champl 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 The University of Vermont Health Network - Champl

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

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