CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hazleton

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$334

about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $277–$336

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$336

About the fair price

about $2 over the fair price · 1.4× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $334 This hospital $336

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other PA hospitals

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

Cheapest $122 Priciest $336

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 $334 (about 1.4× the $244 Medicare rate). Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hazleton charges insurers about $336 — about the fair price. Located in Hazleton, PA.

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	$248 - $857	102%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$244 - $840	100%
Aetnamajor	$251 - $1,324	103%
Cignamajor	$246 - $597	101%
Humanamajor	$253	104%
Ambetter (Centene)	$724	297%
AmeriHealth	$246 - $295	101%
Devoted Health	$253	104%
Geisinger	$244 - $538	100%
HealthPartners	$251 - $478	103%
UPMC Health Plan	$253 - $1,163	104%
+ 5 smaller / regional plans	$258 - $1,392

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, 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 Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hazleton 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 Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hazleton

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

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