MRI, lower back (no contrast)
Facility: Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
Billing Code: 72148 (CPT)
On the higher side — 6 of 7 other VT hospitals charge less.
Black dot = this hospital, among the 8 VT 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 $200 (about 0.8× the $244 Medicare rate). Southwestern Vermont Medical Center charges insurers about $247, or about $1,519 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Bennington, VT.
This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less
Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $200. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.
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
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 | $65 - $530 | 27% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $65 - $247 | 27% |
| Aetnamajor | $65 - $577 | 27% |
| Cignamajor | $65 - $307 | 27% |
| Humanamajor | $65 - $247 | 27% |
| CDPHP | $47 - $675 | 19% |
| Fidelis Care | $65 - $259 | 27% |
| MVP Health Care | $65 - $625 | 27% |
| Tufts Health Plan | $711 | 292% |
| WellCare | $65 - $247 | 27% |
| + 3 smaller / regional plans | $65 - $263 |
Self-Pay How to get the cash price
Insurance Before you use insurance
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost
A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.
Other Procedures at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
Compare: MRI, lower back (no contrast) at other VT hospitals
- North Country Hospital and Health Center · Newport $82
- Porter Hospital Inc · Middlebury $95
- Gifford Medical Center · Randolph $107
- Central Vermont Medical Center · Barre $167
- Brattleboro Memorial Hospital · Brattleboro $183
- Univ. of Vermont - Fletcher Allen Health Care · Burlington $214
- Copley Hospital · Morrisville $2,250
Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.