MRI lower back without contrast in Washington
Below is what hospitals in Washington charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 20 hospitals in Washington run from $753 to $3,871. The typical hospital charges $1,434. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,434
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $753Insurance typically pays $414Sticker price $1,159 | Lowest price of any hospital | $414 | $1,159 |
| Swedish Medical Center WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $788Insurance typically pays $677Sticker price $1,642 | Cheaper than 95% of hospitals | $677 | $1,642 |
| Swedish Medical Center / Cherry Hill WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $788Insurance typically pays $647Sticker price $1,642 | Cheaper than 95% of hospitals | $647 | $1,642 |
| Swedish Issaquah WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $788Insurance typically pays $677Sticker price $1,642 | Cheaper than 95% of hospitals | $677 | $1,642 |
| Overlake Hospital Medical Center WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $979Insurance typically pays $737Sticker price $1,958 | Cheaper than 79% of hospitals | $737 | $1,958 |
| Lourdes Medical Center WA | $1,051Insurance typically pays $697Sticker price $2,629 | Cheaper than 74% of hospitals | $697 | $2,629 |
| Providence St Peter Hospital WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,084Insurance typically pays $574Sticker price $2,084 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $574 | $2,084 |
| Providence Centralia Hospital WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,084Insurance typically pays $504Sticker price $2,084 | Cheaper than 68% of hospitals | $504 | $2,084 |
| Providence Regional Medical Center Everett WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,139Insurance typically pays $503Sticker price $2,191 | Cheaper than 58% of hospitals | $503 | $2,191 |
| Providence St Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,401Insurance typically pays $283Sticker price $2,002 | Cheaper than 53% of hospitals | $283 | $2,002 |
| Arbor Health Morton Hospital WA · Price file May 18, 2026 | $1,467Insurance typically pays $1,099Sticker price $2,366 | Pricier than 53% of hospitals | $1,099 | $2,366 |
| Providence Holy Family Hospital WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,766Insurance typically pays $544Sticker price $2,523 | Pricier than 58% of hospitals | $544 | $2,523 |
| East Adams Rural Hospital WA · Price file August 30, 2025 | $1,831Insurance typically pays $2,172Sticker price $2,441 | Pricier than 63% of hospitals | $2,172 | $2,441 |
| Providence Mount Carmel Hospital WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,883Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,690 | Pricier than 68% of hospitals | — | $2,690 |
| Skyline Hospital WA · Price file August 21, 2026 | $2,106Insurance typically pays $1,502Sticker price $2,925 | Pricier than 74% of hospitals | $1,502 | $2,925 |
| Quincy Valley Hospital WA · Price file May 27, 2026 | $2,449Insurance typically pays $1,433Sticker price $2,449 | Pricier than 79% of hospitals | $1,433 | $2,449 |
| Kadlec Regional Medical Center Richland, WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $2,772Insurance typically pays $397Sticker price $3,960 | Pricier than 84% of hospitals | $397 | $3,960 |
| Providence St Mary Medical Center WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | $2,823Insurance typically pays $359Sticker price $4,033 | Pricier than 89% of hospitals | $359 | $4,033 |
| Forks Community Hospital WA · Price file October 27, 2026 | $3,322Insurance typically pays $2,005Sticker price $4,152 | Pricier than 95% of hospitals | $2,005 | $4,152 |
| Lincoln Hospital WA · Price file September 14, 2026 | $3,871Insurance typically pays $3,430Sticker price $4,301 | Highest price of any hospital | $3,430 | $4,301 |
| Swedish Edmonds Hospital WA · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $495Sticker price — | — | $495 | — |
Procedure code 72148. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.