CMS Price Transparency Data

MRI, lower back (no contrast)

Facility: Lonesome Pine Hospital

Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$303

about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate · typically $247–$450

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$314

About the fair price

about $11 over the fair price · 1.3× Medicare

Medicare pays $244 Fair price $303 This hospital $314 Cash price $605 Hospital's list price $4,033

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other VA hospitals

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

Cheapest $216 Priciest $314

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

A fair price for a MRI, lower back (no contrast) is about $303 (about 1.2× the $244 Medicare rate). Lonesome Pine Hospital charges insurers about $314, or about $605 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Big Stone Gap, VA.

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	$169 - $4,033	69%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$240 - $4,033	98%
Aetnamajor	$233 - $1,722	96%
Cignamajor	$244 - $1,215	100%
Humanamajor	$233	96%
Ambetter (Centene)	$508	208%
Amerigroup	$233	96%
Devoted Health	$244	100%
Molina	$244 - $320	100%
Sentara	$233 - $1,021	96%
WellCare	$247	101%
+ 4 smaller / regional plans	$233 - $559

Government programs also on file: Medicare.

Excludes 2 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

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 605), 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 Lonesome Pine Hospital 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 Lonesome Pine Hospital

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

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