MRI brain without contrast in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 30 hospitals in Iowa run from $451 to $4,896. The typical hospital charges $1,672. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,672
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
31 hospitals. Sort by: Cash price ▲ · Negotiated median · Gross charge · Negotiated low
What these numbers mean.
Cash price is what the hospital lists for patients paying out of pocket.
Negotiated median is the middle of what insurance companies actually agreed to pay.
Gross charge is the sticker price — almost nobody pays it.
What you will actually pay is usually different from both numbers:
with insurance, your deductible, copay, or coinsurance decides what you owe —
the negotiated rate is what the insurer pays, not your bill.
A single line item may not be the whole cost: physician, anesthesia, pathology,
and facility fees can be billed separately.
Prices vary by hospital and change over time; always confirm with the hospital before you go.
| Hospital | Cash price | Where it sits | Insurance pays (typical) | Gross charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $451Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $564 | Lowest price of any hospital | $233 | $564 |
| Van Diest Medical Center IA · Price file November 12, 2022 | $951Insurance typically pays $1,069Sticker price $1,189 | Cheaper than 66% of hospitals | $1,069 | $1,189 |
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $1,114Insurance typically pays $581Sticker price $1,392 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $581 | $1,392 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $1,216Insurance typically pays $611Sticker price $2,026 | Cheaper than 59% of hospitals | $611 | $2,026 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond IA · Price file April 22, 2026 | $1,372Insurance typically pays $611Sticker price $2,287 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $611 | $2,287 |
| Grundy County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 29, 2026 | $1,626Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,033 | Cheaper than 52% of hospitals | — | $2,033 |
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $1,718Insurance typically pays $1,117Sticker price $2,863 | Pricier than 52% of hospitals | $1,117 | $2,863 |
| Virginia Gay Hospital IA · Price file August 13, 2026 | $1,751Insurance typically pays $1,040Sticker price $2,188 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | $1,040 | $2,188 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $1,948Insurance typically pays $1,181Sticker price $2,783 | Pricier than 59% of hospitals | $1,181 | $2,783 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $2,014Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,517 | Pricier than 62% of hospitals | — | $2,517 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $2,031Insurance typically pays $1,094Sticker price $3,125 | Pricier than 66% of hospitals | $1,094 | $3,125 |
| Myrtue Medical Center IA · Price file April 21, 2026 | $2,054Insurance typically pays $1,681Sticker price $3,542 | Pricier than 69% of hospitals | $1,681 | $3,542 |
| Hawarden Regional Healthcare IA | $2,139Insurance typically pays $1,926Sticker price $2,517 | Pricier than 72% of hospitals | $1,926 | $2,517 |
| Manning Regional Healthcare Center IA · Price file October 16, 2026 | $2,168Insurance typically pays $2,273Sticker price $3,053 | Pricier than 76% of hospitals | $2,273 | $3,053 |
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $2,460Insurance typically pays $1,292Sticker price $3,075 | Pricier than 79% of hospitals | $1,292 | $3,075 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $2,576Insurance typically pays $2,233Sticker price $3,435 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | $2,233 | $3,435 |
| Crawford County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $2,606Insurance typically pays $2,768Sticker price $3,257 | Pricier than 86% of hospitals | $2,768 | $3,257 |
| Guthrie County Hospital IA · Price file September 26, 2026 | $2,714Insurance typically pays $1,818Sticker price $2,714 | Pricier than 90% of hospitals | $1,818 | $2,714 |
| Madison County Health Care System IA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $2,796Insurance typically pays $2,272Sticker price $3,495 | Pricier than 93% of hospitals | $2,272 | $3,495 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home IA · Price file November 3, 2026 | $4,139Insurance typically pays $1,697Sticker price $4,139 | Pricier than 97% of hospitals | $1,697 | $4,139 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $4,896Insurance typically pays $342Sticker price $3,780 | Highest price of any hospital | $342 | $3,780 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,587 | — | — | $5,587 |
Procedure code 70551. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.