CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$334

about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $255–$527

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$413

Above the fair price

about $79 over the fair price · 1.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $334 This hospital $413 Cash price $771 Hospital's list price $3,854

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NY hospitals

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

Cheapest $73 Priciest $413

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 NY hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a MRI, brain (no contrast) is about $334 (about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate). Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca charges insurers about $413, or about $771 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Ithaca, NY.

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 $334. 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.

4 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna HumanaKaiser 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	$3,507	1439%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$298 - $3,004	122%
Aetnamajor	$298 - $2,956	122%
Cignamajor	$3,206	1315%
Fidelis Care	$505	207%
Independent Health	$3,699	1517%
Molina	$505 - $1,136	207%
WellCare	$322	132%
+ 2 smaller / regional plans	$295 - $3,584

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 771), 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 Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca 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 Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca

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

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