CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$329

about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $180–$468

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$338

About the fair price

about $9 over the fair price · 1.4× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $329 This hospital $338 Cash price $2,176 Hospital's list price $2,176

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 $127 Priciest $338

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 PA 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 $329 (about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate). Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia charges insurers about $338, or about $2,176 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Philadelphia, 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	$233	96%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$495 - $647	203%
Aetnamajor	$245 - $338	101%
Cignamajor	$282	116%
Humanamajor	$586	240%
Ambetter (Centene)	$245 - $586	101%
AmeriHealth	$282 - $338	116%
Geisinger	$338	139%
HealthPartners	$338	139%
Providence Health Plan	$307	126%
UPMC Health Plan	$338	139%
+ 3 smaller / regional plans	$338 - $343

Government programs also on file: Medicaid.

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 2,176), 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 Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia 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 Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia

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

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