MRI Cost in Austin, TX

This page displays published hospital pricing data for MRI procedures across our metro area. The facility fee covers MRI equipment usage, technologist staffing, and hospital room resources required for the service. Two primary billing codes apply: HCPCS 70551 for brain imaging without contrast and HCPCS 72148 for lumbar spine imaging without contrast. Pricing data comes from CMS-mandated hospital transparency files that hospitals must publish annually.

Data last updated: Unknown

Scope note: These are hospital facility fees only. Standalone imaging centers (not hospitals) often charge significantly less for outpatient imaging but are not covered by the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule, so they are not included in this data. We currently track only hospital-published prices.

MRI Brain Without Contrast (HCPCS 70551)

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Hospital	Gross Charge	Cash Price	Low Insured	High Insured
BSW Emergency Medical Cen	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$230.14	$2,564.66	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Austin	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$204.15	$2,959.22	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Buda	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$204.15	$2,959.22	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Lakewa	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$204.15	$3,551.07	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Marble	$3,488.1	$2,092.86	$204.15	$3,139.29	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Pfluge	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$204.15	$3,551.07	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Round	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$204.15	$3,551.07	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Taylor	$3,945.63	$2,367.38	$787.15	$3,156.5	Schedule →

MRI Lumbar Spine Without Contrast (HCPCS 72148)

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Hospital	Gross Charge	Cash Price	Low Insured	High Insured
BSW Emergency Medical Cen	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$230.14	$2,072.06	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Austin	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$199.14	$2,400	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Buda	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$199.14	$2,400	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Lakewa	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$199.14	$2,869.01	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Marble	$3,530.94	$2,118.56	$199.14	$3,177.85	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Pfluge	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$199.14	$2,869.01	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Round	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$199.14	$2,869.01	Schedule →
BSW Medical Center Taylor	$3,187.79	$1,912.67	$635.96	$2,550.23	Schedule →

What These Prices Mean

Understanding the price columns: The gross charge represents the hospital's list price before any discounts. For brain MRI (70551), gross charges range from $3,488.10 at BSW Marble Falls to $3,945.63 at most other facilities. Cash prices are 60% of gross at all locations, creating a range from $2,092.86 to $2,367.38. For lumbar spine MRI (72148), most hospitals charge $3,187.79 gross and $1,912.67 cash, except BSW Marble Falls at $3,530.94 gross and $2,118.56 cash. Patients on high-deductible plans who have not met their deductible pay the negotiated rate within the insured range. Code variations: Brain MRI (70551) costs approximately $450-$500 more than lumbar spine MRI (72148) at each facility. This reflects the different imaging protocols, scan duration, and technical requirements for brain versus spine imaging sequences.

Why MRI Prices Vary

Hospital pricing structures: Gross charges show minimal variation, with brain MRI ranging from $3,488.10 to $3,945.63 (a $457.53 gap) and lumbar spine MRI mostly uniform at $3,187.79 except one facility at $3,530.94. Cash prices maintain the same relative differences since all facilities apply identical 60% discounts. The consistency suggests standardized pricing within this hospital system. Facility type and alternatives: All facilities in this dataset belong to the BSW (Baylor Scott & White) health system, explaining the uniform discount structure. The emergency medical center charges the same as full-service hospitals for these outpatient imaging procedures. Freestanding imaging centers and outpatient facilities not represented in this hospital data may offer different pricing structures. Cash prices span $1,912.67 to $2,367.38 across all codes and facilities.

Paying cash? Health insurance could lower your MRI cost.

Published cash prices on this page range from $1,912.67 to $2,367.38. Insurers on this page have negotiated rates starting from $204.15, many times lower than cash prices at the same hospitals. If you are uninsured, a marketplace health plan could reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Compare Health Insurance Plans → Get Free Plan Estimate →

Links go to Healthcare.gov, the official federal health insurance marketplace. We are not affiliated with Healthcare.gov or any insurance provider. This is not a recommendation for any specific plan.

Compare Insurer Rates for MRI in Austin

How much does each insurance company pay for mri at Austin hospitals?

Insurer	Lowest Rate	At Hospital	Highest Rate	Hospitals
Superior Health Plan	$199.14	BSW Medical Center Austin	$870.01	7
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	$205.27	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$1,854.56	7
Humana	$216.07	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$2,761.94	7
TriWest Healthcare Alliance	$216.07	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$828.58	7
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas	$226.87	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$1,113.93	7
ProCare Advantage	$226.87	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$870.01	7
Aetna	$230.14	BSW Medical Center Lakeway	$1,942.02	7
UnitedHealthcare	$248.48	BSW Medical Center Marble Falls	$1,921	7

Rates shown are the lowest and highest negotiated rates each insurer has published across Austin hospitals for this procedure. Your actual cost depends on your plan's deductible, copay, and coinsurance.

What Insurers Actually Pay

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Published negotiated rates for MRI Brain Without Contrast (HCPCS 70551) at BSW Medical Center Round , outpatient facility fee:

MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551), BSW Medical Center Round Payer Rates

Insurance Payer	Plan Type	Negotiated Rate
Superior Health Plan	Medicaid	$204.15
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	Medicare Advantage	$208.22
Humana	Medicare	$219.18
Superior Health Plan	Medicare HMO/Medicare PPO	$219.18
TriWest	Community Care Network	$219.18
CORVEL	Worker's Compensation	$229.61
Prime Health Services	Worker's Compensation	$229.61
American Health Plan	Medicare Advantage	$230.14
Blue Cross Blue Shield	Medicare Advantage	$230.14
HealthSpring	Medicare Advantage	$230.14
ProCare Advantage	Medicare Advantage	$230.14
United Healthcare	Medicare Advantage	$252.06
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	BSW Premier - Small Group	$263.02
Injury Management Organization	Med Select Network	$272.22
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	BSW Premier - Individual	$275.07
CareWorks fka Rockport	Worker's Compensation	$327.67
Sedgwick	Preferred Network	$327.67
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	BSW Plus - Small Group	$361.65
Blue Cross Blue Shield	Blue Premier	$913.52
Blue Cross Blue Shield	High Performance Network	$913.52
Blue Cross Blue Shield	My BlueHealth	$913.52
Blue Cross Blue Shield	Blue Advantage	$925.17
Blue Cross Blue Shield	Blue Essentials (HMO)	$1,058
Blue Cross Blue Shield	BlueChoice (PPO)	$1,113.93
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	BSW Premier - Large Group/BSW Premier Direct to Employer (Rate 1)/BSWH Employee	$1,664.65
Cigna	Local Plus	$1,711
Baylor Scott & White Health Plan	BSW Plus - Large Group/BSW Premier Direct to Employer (Rate 2)	$1,854.56
Cigna	HMO/PPO	$2,013
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor	Commercial	$2,014
Aetna	Commercial	$2,170.1
QuikTrip	Employee Benefit Plan	$2,170.1
QuikTrip	Employee Benefit Plan	$2,170.1
MidCoast	Commercial	$2,170.1
MidCoast	Commercial	$2,170.1
Independent Medical System	Commercial PPO	$2,367.38
Independent Medical System	Commercial PPO	$2,367.38
United Healthcare	Commercial	$2,400
Curative	Commercial	$2,564.66
Curative	Commercial	$2,564.66
Humana	Commercial HMO	$2,564.66
First Health	PPO	$2,761.94
First Health	PPO	$2,761.94
HealthSmart	Accel Network	$2,761.94
Humana	Commercial PPO	$2,761.94
BlueBell Creameries	Self Insured	$2,959.22
HealthSmart	Preferred Network	$2,959.22
Private Health Care System	PHCS Network	$2,959.22
Three Rivers	Three Rivers Provider Network	$3,551.07
Three Rivers	Three Rivers Provider Network	$3,551.07

Key finding: Superior Health Plan Medicaid pays the lowest rates at $199.14-$204.15 while Three Rivers Provider Network pays up to $3,551.07, creating a 17-fold difference.

How to Use This Information

✓ These are facility fees only. The physician's fee is billed separately.
✓ Contact your insurer or the hospital billing department for your specific out-of-pocket cost.
✓ Many hospitals offer financial assistance programs for patients who qualify.

Our methodology · Medical Disclaimer

What Patients Ask About MRI Costs

How much does a mri cost without insurance in Austin?

Cash prices for MRI without insurance in Austin vary by body area and facility. Lumbar spine MRI (72148) costs $1,912.67 at most BSW locations and $2,118.56 at BSW Marble Falls. Brain MRI (70551) costs $2,092.86 at BSW Marble Falls and $2,367.38 at other BSW facilities. The overall cash price range spans $1,912.67 to $2,367.38. Brain imaging consistently costs about $450-$500 more than lumbar spine imaging due to different technical requirements. These facility fees cover the imaging procedure only. Radiologist professional fees for reading and interpreting the images are billed separately by the physician.

Why is the gross charge so much higher than the cash price?

The gross charge represents the hospital's chargemaster price, essentially a list price that serves as the starting point for insurance negotiations. At BSW facilities, cash prices are exactly 60% of gross charges. For example, a $3,945.63 gross charge for brain MRI becomes a $2,367.38 cash price after the 40% discount. Almost no patients pay the full gross charge. Insurance companies negotiate rates that typically fall between the cash price and gross charge. Even with identical percentage discounts across facilities, the hospital with higher gross charges (like $3,945.63 versus $3,488.10 for brain MRI) still results in higher actual cash prices despite the same discount structure.

Does insurance cover a mri?

Insurance coverage for MRI depends on the specific plan and your plan's coverage criteria. Negotiated rates with insurers range from $199.14 to $3,551.07 depending on the insurance plan and procedure code, showing significant variation in what different insurers pay. Non-emergency MRI procedures typically require prior authorization from insurance companies to confirm plan coverage requirements before coverage approval. Patients with high-deductible health plans who have not yet met their annual deductible will pay the negotiated insurance rate, not the higher gross charge. The negotiated rate falls within the insured range shown for each facility and typically represents substantial savings compared to cash prices.

Are there additional fees beyond the mri facility charge?

The facility charges cover only the hospital's fees for equipment use, technologist services, and facility resources. A separate radiologist professional fee applies for interpreting the MRI images and providing the diagnostic report to the ordering physician. This radiologist fee is billed separately from the facility charge. If the MRI is performed in an emergency department setting, additional ER facility fees will apply beyond the imaging charges. Patients may expect at least two separate bills: one from the hospital for the facility fee and another from the radiologist or radiology group for the professional interpretation services.

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Data Sources

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Heads up: source files are large

Hospital CMS transparency files typically range from tens of megabytes to several hundred megabytes. Clicking a link below will open the file in a new tab and may trigger a large download, which can consume mobile data or slow down older devices. These files are intended for data processing, not casual viewing.

Ascension Seton Cedar Park

File updated: Unknown · Accessed by us: 2026-04-13

We are not affiliated with Ascension Seton Cedar Park. Published prices may not reflect your actual cost. Disclaimer