MRI Cost in Memphis, TN

How much does a mri cost without insurance in Memphis?

Cash prices for MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) are $246.54 at Baptist Collierville, Memphis, and Women's; $281.76 at Baptist Tipton; $1,364.44 at the four Methodist hospitals; $1,432.86 at Le Bonheur Children's; and $1,433.50 at Regional One Health. For MRI Lumbar Spine Without Contrast (72148), cash prices are $347.97 at the three Baptist hospitals above, $975.36 at Baptist Tipton, $1,354.41 at Regional One Health, $1,364.44 at the Methodist hospitals, and $1,432.86 at Le Bonheur Children's. The overall range is $246.54 to $1,433.50. These are facility fees only; physician and professional fees are billed separately.

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

The gross charge, or chargemaster price, is a hospital's full list price before any discounts. Almost no one pays it, since insurers negotiate lower rates and self-pay patients are offered cash prices. For code 70551, Baptist Collierville's cash price is 21% of its $1,174 gross charge, while Regional One Health's is 55% of its $2,615.88 gross charge. Regional One Health's discount is smaller in percentage terms, yet its cash price of $1,433.50 is higher than Baptist's $246.54 because its starting gross charge is more than double. Methodist hospitals list a gross charge of $6,202 with a cash price of $1,364.44, about 22%.

Does insurance cover a mri?

Coverage depends on the specific plan and on whether the insurer considers the scan medically necessary. Non-emergency MRIs often require prior authorization from the insurer before the scan is performed. Negotiated rates vary widely. For code 70551, rates range from $50 under a UHC Medicaid contract at Methodist hospitals to $6,187.35 under an Aetna contract at Le Bonheur Children's. If you have a high-deductible plan and have not met your deductible, you owe the negotiated rate for your plan, not the gross charge, until the deductible is satisfied.

Are there additional fees beyond the mri facility charge?

Yes. The prices on this page are facility fees, which cover the hospital's scanner, room, and technologist staff. A radiologist, the physician who reads and interprets the images, typically bills a separate professional fee. That fee is not included in the hospital prices listed here and is not part of the source data. If an MRI is performed in the emergency department, a separate emergency room facility fee is also billed in addition to the imaging charges. Other services connected to the visit may also be billed separately.

What is the cash price for an MRI brain scan at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville?

The page lists a cash price of $246.54 for MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville. That is the lowest cash price shown for any hospital on the page. It is a facility charge only. The gross charge listed for the same code is $1,174, and professional fees are not included.

What is the lowest and highest cash price for an MRI in Memphis?

Cash prices for the two MRI codes in Memphis run from $246.54 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville (70551) to $1,433.50 at Regional One Health (70551). The highest is about 6x the lowest. All 20 hospital and code rows have a published cash price, and these figures are facility charges only.

How much does Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital charge in cash for an MRI?

Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital lists a cash price of $1,364.44 for both MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) and MRI Lumbar Spine Without Contrast (72148). That is 22% of its $6,202 gross charge. These are facility charges only. No missing prices are shown for this hospital.

What insurance rates are published for MRI brain scans at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis?

The page shows 226 published rates for MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis, from $210.27 for a Wellpoint Medicaid plan to $3,369.60 for a St. Jude Children's Hospital commercial plan. The highest is about 16x the lowest. These are facility charges only.

Is the cash price lower than insurance rates at Memphis hospitals?

It varies by hospital. On this page, cash is below every insured rate in 0 rows and above every insured rate in 10 rows. For example, Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital lists cash of $1,364.44 for 70551, while its insured rates go up to $617.80. All figures are facility charges only.