MRI brain with and without contrast in Alabama
Below is what hospitals in Alabama charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 12 hospitals in Alabama run from $1,166 to $4,819. The typical hospital charges $2,137. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,137
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Health Medical Center AL | $1,166Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,915 | Lowest price of any hospital | — | $2,915 |
| Encompass Health Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital AL | $1,312Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,749 | Cheaper than 91% of hospitals | — | $1,749 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital North Al AL | $1,420Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,893 | Cheaper than 82% of hospitals | — | $1,893 |
| Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital Of Montgomery AL | $1,612Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,149 | Cheaper than 73% of hospitals | — | $2,149 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Of Shelby AL | $1,734Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,312 | Cheaper than 64% of hospitals | — | $2,312 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Gadsden AL | $1,996Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,662 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | — | $2,662 |
| Grandview Medical Center AL · Price file November 22, 2024 | $2,278Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $15,185 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | — | $15,185 |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center AL | $2,361Insurance typically pays $327Sticker price $4,404 | Pricier than 64% of hospitals | $327 | $4,404 |
| Huntsville Hospital AL | $4,819Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,819 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,819 |
| Helen Keller Memorial Hospital AL | $4,819Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,819 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,819 |
| Athens Limestone Hospital AL | $4,819Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,819 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,819 |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital-decatur Campus AL | $4,819Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,819 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,819 |
| Shoals Hospital AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,018 | — | — | $7,018 |
| North Alabama Medical Center AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,018 | — | — | $7,018 |
Procedure code 70553. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.