CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$313

about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $174–$456

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$256

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $57 under the fair price · 1.0× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $313 This hospital $256 Cash price $6,065 Hospital's list price $6,065

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 $256

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, lower back (no contrast) is about $313 (about 1.3× the $244 Medicare rate). Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia charges insurers about $256, or about $6,065 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. 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 - $282	101%
Cignamajor	$282	116%
Humanamajor	$654	268%
Ambetter (Centene)	$245 - $654	101%
AmeriHealth	$256 - $282	105%
Geisinger	$256	105%
HealthPartners	$256	105%
Providence Health Plan	$296	121%
UPMC Health Plan	$256	105%
+ 3 smaller / regional plans	$256 - $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 6,065), 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 Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia 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 Shriners Hospitals for Children - Philadelphia

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

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