CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Christ Hospital

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$248

about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $209–$447

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$223

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $25 under the fair price · 0.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $248 This hospital $223 Cash price $1,296 Hospital's list price $2,160

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other OH hospitals

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

Cheapest $107 Priciest $223

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 OH 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, brain (no contrast) is about $248 (about 1.0× the $244 Medicare rate). Christ Hospital charges insurers about $223, or about $1,296 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Cincinnati, OH.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

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

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana Kaiser 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	$123 - $2,252	50%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$119 - $2,068	49%
Aetnamajor	$223 - $1,351	91%
Cignamajor	$223 - $2,252	91%
Humanamajor	$119 - $2,068	49%
Ambetter (Centene)	$223	91%
AmeriHealth	$2,068	848%
CareSource	$119 - $2,068	49%
GEHA	$1,017	417%
Health Net	$2,068 - $2,252	848%
Healthcare Highways	$2,068 - $2,252	848%
Medical Mutual	$658	270%
Meridian	$223	91%
Molina	$517 - $563	212%
Priority Health	$1,099 - $1,197	451%
WellCare	$517 - $563	212%
+ 14 smaller / regional plans	$223 - $2,252

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Medicaid.

Excludes 3 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 1,296), 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 Christ Hospital 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 Christ Hospital

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

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