MRI lower back 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 $707 to $4,238. The typical hospital charges $1,517. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,517
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 | $707Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,767 | Lowest price of any hospital | — | $1,767 |
| Encompass Health Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital AL | $1,060Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,414 | Cheaper than 91% of hospitals | — | $1,414 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital North Al AL | $1,075Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,433 | Cheaper than 82% of hospitals | — | $1,433 |
| Encompass Rehabilitation Hospital Of Montgomery AL | $1,316Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,754 | Cheaper than 73% of hospitals | — | $1,754 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Of Shelby AL | $1,409Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,879 | Cheaper than 64% of hospitals | — | $1,879 |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center AL | $1,504Insurance typically pays $221Sticker price $2,804 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $221 | $2,804 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Gadsden AL | $1,530Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,040 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | — | $2,040 |
| Grandview Medical Center AL · Price file November 22, 2024 | $1,624Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $10,825 | Pricier than 64% of hospitals | — | $10,825 |
| Helen Keller Memorial Hospital AL | $4,238Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,238 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,238 |
| Huntsville Hospital AL | $4,238Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,238 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,238 |
| Athens Limestone Hospital AL | $4,238Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,238 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,238 |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital-decatur Campus AL | $4,238Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,238 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $345 | $4,238 |
| Shoals Hospital AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,866 | — | — | $5,866 |
| North Alabama Medical Center AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,866 | — | — | $5,866 |
Procedure code 72148. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.