How Much Does MRI Cost in 2026?With & Without Insurance
A brain MRI with and without contrast costs $1,017-$1,485 for the procedure alone without insurance. Fees such as the radiologist's reading are often billed separately.
A brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) has a hospital-disclosed cash price of $1,017-$1,485, with a median of $1,318. Knee, spine and no-contrast brain scans are priced differently; compare all four below.
Quick Price Summary
What this price includes
- Procedure only
$1,017-$1,485
Middle half of 1,673 hospital-disclosed cash prices for CPT 70553, a brain MRI with and without contrast. Other MRI types are in the table below.
- With insurance, out of pocket
$100-$1,500
Typical copay or coinsurance after deductible; not from our price data.
Often billed separately
- The radiologist's reading
Based on published hospital and provider price-transparency disclosures, cash-pay benchmarks, and public fee schedules. Price figures last reviewed September 27, 2026.
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Real prices from our database
Not an estimate. These figures come from actual hospital-disclosed cash prices and insurer-negotiated rates for CPT 70553 (MRI, brain, with & without contrast) in FairVisitHealth's price-transparency corpus.
Median posted cash price
$1,318
Most fall between $1,017 and $1,485 (25th to 75th percentile)
Median of 1,673 hospital-posted cash prices. Each posted price counts once, so hospitals that post more prices carry more weight.
Your negotiation target
$190
Median rate insurers actually pay for the same code
Across 81,845 insurer-negotiated rates. Ask providers to match it.
Source: FairVisitHealth analysis of 1,673 hospital-disclosed cash prices and 81,845 insurer-negotiated rates for CPT 70553, from CMS hospital price-transparency machine-readable files and insurer Transparency-in-Coverage files. Data as of September 2026.
What is MRI?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive diagnostic scan that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed images of organs, tissues, and structures inside your body. MRIs are commonly used to diagnose conditions affecting the brain, spine, joints, abdomen, and other soft tissues. Unlike X-rays or CT scans, MRIs don't use radiation, making them a safe choice for detailed imaging.
What Affects MRI Cost?
- Type of MRI scan: brain, spine and knee scans are separate billing codes with separate prices.
- Contrast: a scan with contrast is a different code. Medicare's 2026 rate for a brain MRI with and without contrast is $316.97, against $195.40 without contrast.
- Facility type: hospital-based imaging usually charges more than independent outpatient imaging centers
- Geographic location and the individual hospital: posted cash prices for the same code vary widely
- Open MRI vs. closed MRI (open MRIs may cost more due to longer scan times)
- Your insurance status and whether you've met your deductible
How to choose where to get MRI
The cash-pay range on this page is $1,017-$1,485. Before you book, use these steps to find out which setting a quote comes from and what it includes.
Step by step
- Get the exact order from your doctor: the body part, and whether the scan is with contrast, without contrast, or both. Each version is a different billing code, so a quote only counts if it matches your order.
- Ask at least one independent imaging center and one hospital outpatient department for a self-pay quote for that exact scan.
- Ask whether the quote includes the radiologist's reading of the images, or whether the radiologist bills you separately.
- At an imaging center outside a hospital, confirm it is accredited for that type of scan. Medicare requires non-hospital centers that bill it for MRI, CT and PET to be accredited by a CMS-approved organization, such as the American College of Radiology. Source: CMS, advanced imaging accreditation
- If you are uninsured or paying without insurance, ask each provider for a Good Faith Estimate. Under the No Surprises Act, providers generally must give you one when you schedule at least 3 business days ahead, or when you ask. Source: CMS, medical bill rights
- Keep every estimate. If a provider or facility bills you at least $400 more than its Good Faith Estimate, you can start the federal patient-provider dispute process for a bill dated within the last 120 days. The fee is $25. Source: CMS, dispute a bill
Care settings compared
| Setting | How it typically bills | What to ask for | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent imaging center | A charge for the scan. The radiologist's reading may be included or billed separately. | A written self-pay quote for the exact scan, and whether the reading is included. | Routine outpatient scans you can schedule ahead. |
| Hospital outpatient department | A hospital facility charge for the scan, with the radiologist often billing separately. | The discounted cash price from the hospital's price list, plus the radiology group's self-pay rate. | When your doctor wants hospital support, such as sedation, or the scan is part of other hospital care. |
General information, not medical advice. Your clinician decides which setting is safe for you.
How to Save on MRI
Compare prices at outpatient imaging centers vs. hospitals. Imaging centers often charge less
Ask for the 'self-pay' or 'cash' rate, and ask which billing code (CPT) the quote is for
Call multiple facilities and negotiate. Prices are often flexible
Check whether you need contrast before you ask for a quote, since it changes the code and the price
Ask whether the radiologist's reading is included in the price
Use FairVisitHealth to compare MRI prices from providers in your area
MRI prices by type of scan
"An MRI" covers many different scans, each billed under its own code. These are hospital-disclosed cash prices, the rates insurers pay, and Medicare's 2026 national rates for four common MRIs. For knee scans, see the knee MRI cost guide too.
| MRI type | Hospital cash median | Middle half of cash prices | Median insurer rate | Medicare 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brain, with and without contrastCPT 70553 | $1,318 | $1,017-$1,485 | $190 | $316.97 |
| Brain, without contrastCPT 70551 | $1,650 | $1,040-$3,420 | $119 | $195.40 |
| Lumbar spine, without contrastCPT 72148 | $1,082 | $852-$1,341 | $119 | $191.72 |
| Knee (lower extremity joint)CPT 73721 | $1,120 | $859-$1,810 | $112 | $204.41 |
Insurer rates are mostly the physician-side bill. When the scan is done in a hospital, the hospital's facility rate runs higher: for a knee MRI (CPT 73721) the median facility rate is $155 against $110 on the physician side (insurer rate files, September 27, 2026).
Sources: FairVisitHealth analysis of CMS hospital price-transparency files (cash prices) and insurer Transparency-in-Coverage files (insurer rates). CPT 70553, 72148 and 73721: data as of September 2026. CPT 70551: checked September 27, 2026. Medicare: CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2026, national non-facility rate. Each code is priced by a different set of hospitals, so compare rows with care.
"Explain to me why the insurance company will pay $2500 for an MRI when there is a center down the street that will do it for $350?"
Mark Cuban, on X, January 13, 2026
What the data says about that gap
Take a brain MRI without contrast (CPT 70551). The median posted hospital cash price is $1,650, across 1,516 posted prices. Across 78,784 insurer-negotiated rates for the same code, the median is $117 for the physician-side bill and $150 for a hospital's facility bill, and Medicare's 2026 rate is $195.40. Figures checked September 27, 2026.
The gap Cuban is describing is usually about which building you walk into, not insurance versus cash in the abstract. Hospital-based imaging carries facility fees and overhead that an independent imaging center does not, so the "$350 down the street" scan usually happens at a freestanding center, not a hospital.
MRI Cost by City
Local self-pay prices for mri in 38 cities, from providers in each metro area.
These are averages. Get your exact local answer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an MRI cost without insurance?
It depends on the body part and whether contrast is used. Median hospital-disclosed cash prices in FairVisitHealth's data: brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) $1,318, with the middle half at $1,017-$1,485; lumbar spine (72148) $1,082; knee (73721) $1,120. A brain MRI without contrast (70551) had a median of $1,650 when we checked on September 27, 2026. These are hospital prices. Independent imaging centers often quote lower self-pay prices, and our data does not cover them.
How much does an MRI cost with insurance?
With insurance, a typical out-of-pocket cost is $100-$1,500, depending on your deductible, copay and coinsurance. That range is a general estimate, not from our price data. If you have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate. The median rate insurers pay for a brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) is $190 across 81,845 insurer-negotiated rates.
How much is a brain MRI?
A brain MRI with and without contrast (CPT 70553) has a median hospital-disclosed cash price of $1,318, with the middle half of 1,673 posted prices at $1,017-$1,485. A brain MRI without contrast (CPT 70551) had a median of $1,650 across 1,516 hospital-posted cash prices from 802 hospitals when we checked on September 27, 2026. Medicare's 2026 rates are $316.97 and $195.40.
Is it cheaper to pay cash for an MRI?
Sometimes. Hospital cash prices in our data sit far above what insurers pay for the same scan, so if you have a deductible to meet, compare the cash price with your plan's rate before you choose. Many independent imaging centers offer a self-pay price. Always ask for the 'self-pay' or 'cash' rate before your appointment.
Why is there such a big price difference for MRIs?
MRI prices vary with the facility, the body part, whether contrast is used, and location. Hospital-based imaging adds facility fees and overhead that independent imaging centers do not carry. Posted cash prices for the same billing code also vary widely from one hospital to the next.
What's the cheapest place to get an MRI?
Independent outpatient imaging centers usually offer lower self-pay prices than hospitals. Our price data covers hospitals only, so call two or three imaging centers for a self-pay quote and compare them with the hospital figures on this page. Use FairVisitHealth to find imaging providers near you.
How much does an MRI cost compared to a CT scan?
A CT scan usually costs less. Median hospital-disclosed cash prices in our data are $393 for a head CT without contrast (CPT 70450) and $900 for a CT of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast (CPT 74177), against $1,318 for a brain MRI with and without contrast (data as of September 2026). Your doctor picks the scan based on what they need to see, not on price.
How much does a prostate MRI cost without insurance?
A prostate MRI is usually billed as an MRI of the pelvis with and without contrast (CPT 72197). We do not publish a benchmark for that code yet. Ask the imaging center for its self-pay price for CPT 72197, and check whether the radiologist's reading is included.
What's included in the MRI cost?
The quoted price usually covers the scan. The radiologist's reading may be included or billed separately, so ask. A scan with contrast is a different billing code with a different price: Medicare's 2026 rate for a brain MRI with and without contrast is $316.97, against $195.40 without contrast. Always ask for a complete estimate before your appointment.
What if I can't afford my MRI?
Ask about payment plans, financial assistance programs, or sliding-scale fees. Some imaging centers offer interest-free payment plans. Nonprofit hospitals must have a financial assistance policy, so ask for it if you are scanned at a hospital.
Do I need a referral for an MRI?
Most imaging centers require a doctor's referral or prescription for an MRI. However, some states allow self-referral for certain types of scans. Check with your chosen facility.
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Related Procedure Costs
Medical Disclaimer: This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Pricing information is based on publicly reported data and may not reflect your actual costs.
Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for medical decisions. Prices shown are estimates for self-pay patients and may vary by provider, location, and individual circumstances.