CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, brain (no contrast)

Facility: Northwest Hills Surgical Hospital

Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$281

about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $223–$616

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$219

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $62 under the fair price · 0.9× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $281 This hospital $219

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other TX hospitals

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

Cheapest $69 Priciest $219

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 TX hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

A fair price for a MRI, brain (no contrast) is about $281 (about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate). Northwest Hills Surgical Hospital charges insurers about $219 — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Austin, TX.

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	$218 - $219	89%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$204 - $1,042	84%
Aetnamajor	$1,410 - $1,969	578%
Cignamajor	$1,750	718%
Humanamajor	$259	106%
Ambetter (Centene)	$204 - $218	84%
+ 4 smaller / regional plans	$218 - $1,410

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

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: 70551.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Northwest Hills Surgical 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 Northwest Hills Surgical Hospital

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

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