MRI, brain (with and without contrast)
Facility: Aurora Medical Center
Billing Code: 70553 (CPT)
- CPT Billing Code: 70553
- Insurance Median: $1,352
- Cash Discount Price: $3,265
- vs. Medicare Baseline: 3.79x 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 $356.43 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 379% of the Medicare baseline (a markup of 279%). 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 | 182% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $755 - $5,550 | 212% |
| UnitedHealthcare | $767 - $5,498 | 215% |
| Healthpartners | $954 - $4,898 | 268% |
| Centivo | $1,038 | 291% |
| Common Ground | $1,083 | 304% |
| Aetna | $1,114 - $5,394 | 313% |
| Health Payment Systems | $1,170 | 328% |
| Quartz One | $1,200 | 337% |
| Molina Exchange | $1,273 | 357% |
| Hs Technology | $1,350 | 379% |
| Quartz Group | $1,350 | 379% |
| Everpointe Elite | $1,352 | 379% |
| Trilogy | $1,520 | 426% |
| Wisconsin Physician Service | $1,636 - $1,722 | 459% |
| Cigna | $2,550 - $5,524 | 715% |
| Health Eos Plus | $3,918 | 1099% |
| Health Eos | $5,224 | 1466% |
Consumer Guidance & Cost Commentary
If you are paying out of pocket, you should know that the cash median rate for this MRI procedure is $3,265, which is significantly lower than the facility's gross charge of $6,530. While many patients assume insurance will always be cheaper, this cash rate can actually be more affordable if your insurance plan has a high deductible or if the negotiated rate from your specific carrier exceeds $3,265. Before scheduling, it is crucial to ask the hospital about "self-pay" or "prompt-pay" discounts, which can further reduce the final amount owed by offering immediate liquidity incentives that bypass standard claims processing fees.
The broader pricing context reveals that while the cash rate is competitive, the negotiated rates vary widely depending on your insurance carrier. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield has a high-end negotiated rate of $5,550, whereas UnitedHealthcare's range extends up to $5,498, both of which are substantially higher than the cash price. In contrast, payers like Centivo, Common Ground, and several others have fixed negotiated rates around $1,038 to $1,352, which align closely with or fall below the cash median. Additionally, the Medicare amount for this service is $356.43, serving as a benchmark that highlights the significant markup present in commercial rates, with some negotiated plans reaching amounts nearly 19 times the Medicare base.