MRI Cost in Tallahassee, FL
An MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves, rather than radiation, to create detailed cross-sectional images of the body. The patient lies on a table that slides into a scanner while a technologist captures the images, and a radiologist later reviews them and prepares a report. The hospital facility fee generally covers the scanner, the technologist, the equipment and the space, while the radiologist's reading is billed separately. This page covers two billing codes: 70551 for an MRI of the brain without contrast and 72148 for an MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast. All prices come from the price transparency files that CMS requires hospitals to publish.
Data last accessed by us: 2026-10-15 · Newest hospital file date among hospitals below: 2026-09-01
MRI Brain Without Contrast (HCPCS 70551)
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| Hospital | Cash Price | |
|---|---|---|
| HCA Capital * | $3,637.30 * | Schedule → |
| Tallahassee Memorial | $592.90 | Schedule → |
MRI Lumbar Spine Without Contrast (HCPCS 72148)
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| Hospital | Cash Price | |
|---|---|---|
| HCA Capital * | $3,637.30 * | Schedule → |
| Tallahassee Memorial | $686.70 | Schedule → |
What These Prices Mean
The gross charge is a hospital's full list price before any discount. The cash price is what a self-pay patient is quoted, and the insured range shows the negotiated rates that health plans have with the hospital. At Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, the brain scan (70551) has a gross charge of $847 and a cash price of $592.90, which is 70% of gross. At HCA Florida Capital Hospital, cash equals the $3,637.30 gross charge, or 100% of gross, so no self-pay discount is published. People on a high-deductible plan who have not yet met their deductible usually pay the plan's negotiated rate rather than the cash price.
Brain versus spine pricing at each hospital
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital lists the lumbar spine scan (72148) with a gross charge of $981 and a cash price of $686.70, compared with $847 and $592.90 for the brain scan (70551). Its insured rates run from $249.17 to $3,065.29 for 70551 and from $249.17 to $3,402.39 for 72148. HCA Florida Capital Hospital lists the same $3,637.30 gross charge and cash price for both codes, with insured rates from $517.79 to $3,637.30.
Why MRI Prices Vary
The two hospitals on this page, each in a different health system, publish very different structures. Tallahassee Memorial Hospital lists cash prices of $592.90 and $686.70, each 70% of gross, against gross charges of $847 and $981. HCA Florida Capital Hospital publishes cash equal to gross at $3,637.30 for both codes. Across the page, the gross charge range runs from $847 to $3,637.30, and the highest is about 4x the lowest. Excluding the hospital where cash equals gross, cash prices run from $592.90 to $686.70.
Plan-to-plan variation and other facilities
Outpatient imaging centers and other facilities outside this dataset may price the same scans differently, and their prices are not shown here. The insurer data gives a sense of how much rates differ by plan. For MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) at HCA Florida Capital Hospital, 50 published rates range from $517.79 for United to $3,637.30 for Beacon Health Options, and the highest is about 7x the lowest in that table. AvMed's listed rate is $3,623.
Paying cash? Health insurance could lower your MRI cost.
Published cash prices on this page range from $592.90 to $3,637.30 (including hospitals that publish cash equal to gross charge, marked with * in the table). The lowest insured rate in the price table is $249.17 (Tallahassee Memorial Hospital). Insured rates depend on the plan, and the lowest are often Medicaid, CHIP or Medicare Advantage plans, so they may not reflect what a commercial or marketplace plan pays. If you are uninsured, a marketplace health plan could reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.
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.
What Insurers Actually Pay
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Published negotiated rates for MRI Brain Without Contrast (HCPCS 70551) at HCA Capital, outpatient facility fee:
MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551), HCA Capital Payer Rates
| Insurance Payer | Plan Type | Negotiated Rate |
|---|---|---|
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| United | AllPayerAppendix | $517.79 |
| Simply | MGMCR | $560.14 |
| Molina Healthcare | MGMCR | $691.09 |
| United | OptionsPPO | $738.37 |
| Sunshine State Health Plan | QHP | $927.51 |
| Aetna | ASA | $1,091.19 |
| Molina Healthcare | HIX | $1,163.94 |
| Aetna | QHP | $1,256 |
| United | GlobalBenefitPlan | $1,636.79 |
| AvMed | HIXOON | $1,818.65 |
| Plotkin Health | COMM | $1,818.65 |
| Prime Health Sheriff | COMM | $1,818.65 |
| Prime Health Sheriff | WORKERSCOMP | $1,818.65 |
| Aetna | HMO | $1,885 |
| Aetna | PPO | $1,885 |
| Aetna | HMO/PPO | $1,984 |
| CorVel Corporation | WORKERSCOMP | $2,279.67 |
| Prime Health | WC | $2,327.66 |
| Careworks (Rockport Community) | WORKERSCOMP | $2,399.65 |
| Multiplan | Primary | $2,837.09 |
| Evernorth | BHCOMM | $2,909.84 |
| Evolutions Healthcare | TRADITIONALPPO | $3,091.70 |
| Multiplan | Complementary | $3,091.70 |
| PPO Next | COMM | $3,091.70 |
| PPO Next | PPO | $3,091.70 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| AvMed | HMOFI | $3,266 |
| NovaNet | COMM | $3,273.57 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| AvMed | ASOEO | $3,623 |
| Beacon Health Options | MCR | $3,637.30 |
Key finding: At HCA Florida Capital Hospital, the brain MRI (70551) rate is $517.79 for United but $3,637.30 for Beacon Health Options, about 7x apart.
What to Do With These MRI Prices
Get the exact code before you call. This page covers 70551 (MRI brain without contrast) and 72148 (MRI lumbar spine without contrast). Ask the ordering office which CPT code applies to your order, and whether it is with or without contrast, since contrast changes the code. Then ask the hospital's billing office for its cash price and an itemized estimate for that code.
Read the cash price against the insured range. At Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, the cash price for 70551 is $592.90, while its insured rates for the same code run from $249.17 to $3,065.29. At HCA Florida Capital Hospital, the cash price for both codes is $3,637.30, the same as its gross charge, and that is also the top of its insured range. If you are quoted a cash figure, hold it up against these numbers and ask what the hospital's lowest rate for that code is.
Expect more than one bill. The amounts here are the hospital's technical (facility) charge for running the scan. The radiologist who reads the images usually bills separately. When bills arrive, check:
- Whether the facility charge matches the code and estimate you were given.
- Whether a separate radiologist or physician group bill appears, and under which code.
- Whether any contrast or supply lines were added that you did not expect.
Know what this page leaves out. Outpatient and freestanding imaging centers are not in this dataset and may price the same scan differently. Every row here has a published cash price and gross charge, so no $0 or blank entries are standing in for missing data.
Financial assistance and discounts. Nonprofit hospitals are required to publish a financial assistance policy, and the billing office can send it with an application. Some hospitals also offer prompt-pay or self-pay discounts; these vary by hospital and are not included in this data. If you are uninsured or not using insurance for scheduled care, you can ask the provider for a good faith estimate before the appointment.
General information about using published prices, not medical, legal or financial advice. Confirm your own cost with the hospital and your insurer. Our methodology · Medical Disclaimer
What Patients Ask About MRI Costs
How much does a mri cost without insurance in Tallahassee?
Among the hospitals on this page, published cash prices for an MRI range from $592.90 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (70551, brain) to $3,637.30 at HCA Florida Capital Hospital (70551). Tallahassee Memorial Hospital lists $686.70 for the lumbar spine scan (72148), while HCA Florida Capital Hospital lists $3,637.30 for both codes. All four price rows have a published cash price, so none is missing. These figures are facility charges only. The radiologist's professional fee is billed separately and is not included in these prices.
Why is the gross charge so much higher than the cash price?
The gross charge is a hospital's full list price, and few patients are billed that exact amount. Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's cash prices are 70% of gross, so its $847 gross charge for 70551 corresponds to a $592.90 cash price, and its $981 gross charge for 72148 to $686.70. HCA Florida Capital Hospital is different: its cash price is 100% of gross at $3,637.30, so no self-pay discount is published. Across both hospitals, the highest gross charge is about 4x the lowest.
Does insurance cover a mri?
Whether insurance covers an MRI depends on the specific plan, so the plan itself is the place to confirm. The published insured rates show what plans have negotiated with each hospital. At Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, rates run from $249.17 to $3,065.29 for 70551 and from $249.17 to $3,402.39 for 72148. At HCA Florida Capital Hospital, they run from $517.79 to $3,637.30. People on a high-deductible plan who have not met the deductible usually pay the negotiated rate until it is met.
Are there additional fees beyond the mri facility charge?
The facility charge shown on this page is only one part of an MRI bill. A radiologist typically bills a separate professional fee for reading and interpreting the images. The ordering physician's office visit may be billed on its own. Some scans involve other separate charges, such as contrast materials, sedation or anesthesia professionals, and any additional imaging done on the same day. Hospitals may also issue separate statements for these services, so itemized bills are worth reading closely.
What is the cash price for an MRI brain scan at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital?
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital publishes a cash price of $592.90 for MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551), which is 70% of its $847 gross charge. This is a facility charge only. Professional fees such as radiologist reading are not included. No insured rates are published for this hospital on this page.
What is the lowest and highest published MRI price in Tallahassee, FL?
Across both Tallahassee hospitals, published cash prices run from $592.90 at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital (70551) to $3,637.30 at HCA Florida Capital Hospital (70551). The highest gross charge is about 4x the lowest. These are facility charges only and do not include separate physician or radiologist fees.
How much does United pay for an MRI brain scan at HCA Florida Capital Hospital?
The page shows United entries of $517.79 for MRI Brain Without Contrast (70551) at HCA Florida Capital Hospital, listed under AllPayerAppendix. That is the lowest entry in the payer table of 50 published rates. It is a facility rate only, and actual billed amounts can vary by plan.
Does Tallahassee Memorial Hospital give a self-pay discount on MRIs?
Yes, for both codes on this page. Tallahassee Memorial Hospital's cash prices are 70% of gross: $592.90 for the brain MRI (70551) and $686.70 for the lumbar spine MRI (72148). These are facility charges only. Its insured rates show as N/A, which means data is missing, not free.
Compare Other Procedures in Tallahassee
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.
HCA Florida Capital Hospital
File updated: 2026-09-01 · Accessed by us: 2026-10-15
Attested by: Kenneth Neely
We are not affiliated with HCA Florida Capital Hospital. Published prices may not reflect your actual cost. Disclaimer
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Tallahassee Memorial Hospital
File updated: 2026-09-01 · Accessed by us: 2026-10-15
Attested by: Priscilla Needham
We are not affiliated with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Published prices may not reflect your actual cost. Disclaimer
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