MRI lower back without contrast in North Carolina
Below is what hospitals in North Carolina charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 12 hospitals in North Carolina run from $696 to $5,913. The typical hospital charges $2,519. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,519
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Rehabilitation Hospital NC | $696Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $928 | Lowest price of any hospital | — | $928 |
| Harris Regional Hospital NC | $1,520Insurance typically pays $2,956Sticker price $3,800 | Cheaper than 91% of hospitals | $2,956 | $3,800 |
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · Price file December 1, 2025 | $2,013Insurance typically pays $519Sticker price $4,026 | Cheaper than 82% of hospitals | $519 | $4,026 |
| Carolina East Medical Center NC · Price file September 25, 2026 | $2,140Insurance typically pays $3,032Sticker price $3,567 | Cheaper than 73% of hospitals | $3,032 | $3,567 |
| Person Memorial Hospital NC | $2,374Insurance typically pays $1,123Sticker price $5,934 | Cheaper than 64% of hospitals | $1,123 | $5,934 |
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center NC | $2,375Insurance typically pays $2,050Sticker price $5,936 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $2,050 | $5,936 |
| Sampson Regional Medical Center NC · Price file November 2, 2026 | $2,663Insurance typically pays $756Sticker price $3,804 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | $756 | $3,804 |
| Frye Regional Medical Center NC | $2,789Insurance typically pays $508Sticker price $6,973 | Pricier than 64% of hospitals | $508 | $6,973 |
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC | $3,072Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,120 | Pricier than 73% of hospitals | — | $5,120 |
| Wilson Medical Center NC | $3,422Insurance typically pays $820Sticker price $8,555 | Pricier than 82% of hospitals | $820 | $8,555 |
| Caromont Regional Medical Center NC · Price file May 11, 2026 | $5,275Insurance typically pays $810Sticker price $5,275 | Pricier than 91% of hospitals | $810 | $5,275 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital And Asheville Surgery Ce NC · Price file September 1, 2026 | $5,913Insurance typically pays $2,052Sticker price $5,913 | Highest price of any hospital | $2,052 | $5,913 |
| Central Carolina Hospital NC · Price file July 20, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,998 | — | — | $2,998 |
Procedure code 72148. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.