MRI, lower back (no contrast)
Facility: Lehigh Valley Hospital
Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)
Highest price of the 9 PA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.
Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 PA hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.
A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $342 (about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate). Lehigh Valley Hospital charges insurers about $461 — above the fair price. Located in Allentown, PA.
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 $342. 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.
5 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital
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 | $252 - $857 | 103% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $252 - $1,907 | 103% |
| Aetnamajor | $265 - $1,398 | 109% |
| Cignamajor | $214 - $690 | 88% |
| Humanamajor | $267 | 110% |
| Ambetter (Centene) | $765 | 314% |
| AmeriHealth | $252 - $461 | 103% |
| Devoted Health | $267 | 110% |
| Geisinger | $260 - $1,108 | 107% |
| HealthPartners | $265 - $504 | 109% |
| UPMC Health Plan | $267 - $1,228 | 110% |
| + 7 smaller / regional plans | $252 - $2,960 |
Self-Pay How to get the cash price
Insurance Before you use insurance
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost
A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.
Other Procedures at Lehigh Valley Hospital
Compare: MRI, lower back (no contrast) at other PA hospitals
- Penn Highlands Connellsville · Connellsville $122
- Heritage Valley Beaver · Beaver $186
- Heritage Valley Sewickley · Sewickley $186
- Allegheny Valley Hospital · Natrona $194
- Allegheny General Hospital · Pittsburgh $194
- Canonsburg General Hospital · Canonsburg $194
- Jefferson Hospital · Jefferson Hills $200
- Grove City Medical Center · Grove City $200
Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.