MRI, brain (no contrast)
Facility: Aurora Medical Center
Billing Code: 70551 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70551
- Insurance Median: $1,352
- Cash Discount Price: $2,110
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 5.55x Medicare
Average discount available for prompt cash payment at this facility.
Median negotiated contract rate across all mapped commercial carriers.
Standard federal government reimbursement rate for this code.
Visual Cost Comparison vs. Medicare
Understanding this gauge: We use the federal Medicare rate of $243.77 as the cost baseline. Rates below the baseline represent excellent value. In-network commercial rates commonly hover around 150% - 250% of Medicare, while rates exceeding 300% are elevated. Hover over the green and blue markers to view detailed calculations.
Elevated Commercial Rate Alert (Value-Gap)
The negotiated rate at this facility is 555% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 455%). Patients with high-deductible plans or out-of-network benefits may face excessive out-of-pocket costs.
Out-of-Pocket Cost Estimator
Estimate whether it is more economical to use your insurance or pay the upfront self-pay cash rate.
Commercial Insurance Negotiated Rates
Negotiated contract ranges established by major commercial carriers at this facility.
| Carrier / Plan Group | Contract Rate Range | vs. Medicare Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Aurora Caregiver | $650 | 267% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $755 - $3,587 | 310% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $767 - $3,553 | 315% |
| Healthpartners | $954 - $3,165 | 391% |
| Centivo | $1,038 | 426% |
| Common Ground | $1,083 | 444% |
| Aetna | $1,114 - $3,486 | 457% |
| Health Payment Systems | $1,170 | 480% |
| Quartz One | $1,200 | 492% |
| Molina Exchange | $1,273 | 522% |
| Hs Technology | $1,350 | 554% |
| Quartz Group | $1,350 | 554% |
| Everpointe Elite | $1,352 | 555% |
| Trilogy | $1,520 | 624% |
| Wisconsin Physician Service | $1,636 - $1,722 | 671% |
| Health Eos Plus | $2,532 | 1039% |
| Cigna | $2,550 - $3,570 | 1046% |
| Health Eos | $3,376 | 1385% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
For patients paying cash directly, the most important fact to know is that the cash median rate for this MRI, brain (no contrast) procedure is $2,110. While this amount is higher than the facility's negotiated rates of $1,352 and $969, it is worth noting that cash payments can sometimes be more cost-effective than insurance billing for those with high-deductible plans, as the insurer's negotiated rate may exceed the cash price. Furthermore, patients should proactively ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts before scheduling, as these upfront fee reductions can lower the final bill by bypassing the administrative costs associated with insurance claims processing.
The broader pricing context reveals that this service is billed at a gross rate of $4,220, with an average Medicare reimbursement of $243.77, indicating a significant markup typical of commercial billing. The facility, Aurora Medical Center in Grafton, WI, reports a facility rating of 5 stars and has contracted with 18 different payers. While the data provided does not include specific comparative averages for the state or county, the presence of multiple payers with varying negotiated ranges—such as Blue Cross Blue Shield ranging from $755 to $3,587 and Cigna ranging from $2,550 to $3,570—highlights that final costs depend heavily on individual insurance contracts rather than a single fixed price.