MRI lower back without contrast in Kentucky
Below is what hospitals in Kentucky charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 16 hospitals in Kentucky run from $720 to $3,817. The typical hospital charges $1,431. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,431
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital KY | $720Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $960 | Lowest price of any hospital | — | $960 |
| King'S Daughters' Medical Center Ashland, KY | $850Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,834 | Cheaper than 93% of hospitals | — | $2,834 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Of Northe KY | $887Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,183 | Cheaper than 87% of hospitals | — | $1,183 |
| St Elizabeth Edgewood Edgewood, KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | $971Insurance typically pays $364Sticker price $971 | Cheaper than 80% of hospitals | $364 | $971 |
| Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital Of Lakevi KY | $1,075Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $1,433 | Cheaper than 73% of hospitals | — | $1,433 |
| Russell County Hospital KY · Price file August 31, 2026 | $1,166Insurance typically pays $1,000Sticker price $1,458 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $1,000 | $1,458 |
| Norton Hospitals, Inc Louisville, KY · Price file February 11, 2026 | $1,190Insurance typically pays $981Sticker price $5,948 | Cheaper than 60% of hospitals | $981 | $5,948 |
| St Claire Regional Medical Center KY · Price file June 18, 2026 | $1,303Insurance typically pays $1,091Sticker price $1,737 | Cheaper than 53% of hospitals | $1,091 | $1,737 |
| Breckinridge Memorial Hospital KY · Price file July 16, 2026 | $1,560Insurance typically pays $1,101Sticker price $3,119 | Pricier than 53% of hospitals | $1,101 | $3,119 |
| Monroe County Medical Center KY · Price file October 8, 2026 | $1,580Insurance typically pays $352Sticker price $1,904 | Pricier than 60% of hospitals | $352 | $1,904 |
| Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Ct KY · Price file July 1, 2026 | $2,267Insurance typically pays $400Sticker price $2,983 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | $400 | $2,983 |
| Murray-calloway County Hospital KY · Price file September 9, 2026 | $2,606Insurance typically pays $736Sticker price $4,009 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | $736 | $4,009 |
| Meadowview Regional Medical Center KY | $2,633Insurance typically pays $798Sticker price $6,582 | Pricier than 80% of hospitals | $798 | $6,582 |
| Baptist Health Louisville Louisville, KY · Price file September 25, 2026 | $3,236Insurance typically pays $2,020Sticker price $4,314 | Pricier than 87% of hospitals | $2,020 | $4,314 |
| Jackson Purchase Medical Center KY | $3,397Insurance typically pays $618Sticker price $8,492 | Pricier than 93% of hospitals | $618 | $8,492 |
| Spring View Hospital KY | $3,817Insurance typically pays $606Sticker price $9,543 | Highest price of any hospital | $606 | $9,543 |
| The Medical Center At Caverna KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $875Sticker price $2,824 | — | $875 | $2,824 |
| The Medical Center At Albany KY · Price file July 1, 2024 | —Insurance typically pays $875Sticker price $2,824 | — | $875 | $2,824 |
| The Medical Center At Scottsville KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $750Sticker price $2,824 | — | $750 | $2,824 |
| The Medical Center At Franklin KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $750Sticker price $2,456 | — | $750 | $2,456 |
| Frankfort Regional Medical Center KY | —Insurance typically pays $518Sticker price — | — | $518 | — |
Procedure code 72148. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.