MRI lower back without contrast in Wisconsin
Below is what hospitals in Wisconsin charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 30 hospitals in Wisconsin run from $132 to $3,945. The typical hospital charges $2,110. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,110
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Regional Medical Center WI | $132Insurance typically pays $98Sticker price $240 | Lowest price of any hospital | $98 | $240 |
| Unitypoint Health - Meriter WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $432Insurance typically pays $233Sticker price $540 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $233 | $540 |
| River Falls Area Hospital WI · Price file June 16, 2026 | $1,313Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,345 | Cheaper than 93% of hospitals | — | $2,345 |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - Franklin Campus WI | $1,342Insurance typically pays $487Sticker price $2,532 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $487 | $2,532 |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - Elmbrook Campus WI | $1,342Insurance typically pays $487Sticker price $2,532 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $487 | $2,532 |
| Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital WI | $1,342Insurance typically pays $487Sticker price $2,532 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $487 | $2,532 |
| Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital - St. Joseph Campus WI | $1,342Insurance typically pays $487Sticker price $2,532 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $487 | $2,532 |
| Ascension St. Francis Hospital WI | $1,342Insurance typically pays $487Sticker price $2,532 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $487 | $2,532 |
| Ascension NE Wisconsin - St. Elizabeth Campus WI | $1,452Insurance typically pays $232Sticker price $2,547 | Cheaper than 72% of hospitals | $232 | $2,547 |
| Ascension NE Wisconsin - Mercy Campus WI | $1,452Insurance typically pays $232Sticker price $2,547 | Cheaper than 72% of hospitals | $232 | $2,547 |
| Ascension Calumet Hospital WI | $1,946Insurance typically pays $181Sticker price $3,414 | Cheaper than 66% of hospitals | $181 | $3,414 |
| Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Milwaukee (incl Columbia St. Mary's Women's Hosp.) WI | $2,067Insurance typically pays $372Sticker price $3,900 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $372 | $3,900 |
| Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Hospital Ozaukee WI | $2,067Insurance typically pays $372Sticker price $3,900 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $372 | $3,900 |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Psychiatric Hospital WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Kenosha WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Manitowoc County WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Oshkosh WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Washington County WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Center Bay Area WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Center Burlington WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Center Summit WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora West Allis Medical Center WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Lakeland Medical Center WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Aurora Medical Center WI · Price file November 4, 2026 | $2,110Insurance typically pays $1,352Sticker price $4,220 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $1,352 | $4,220 |
| Ascension Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital WI | $2,158Insurance typically pays $372Sticker price $4,072 | Pricier than 90% of hospitals | $372 | $4,072 |
| Grant Regional Health Center WI · Price file September 18, 2026 | $2,513Insurance typically pays $2,927Sticker price $3,866 | Pricier than 93% of hospitals | $2,927 | $3,866 |
| Stoughton Hospital WI · Price file June 11, 2026 | $2,637Insurance typically pays $2,109Sticker price $4,794 | Pricier than 97% of hospitals | $2,109 | $4,794 |
| Crossing Rivers Health Medical Center WI · Price file October 22, 2026 | $3,945Insurance typically pays $1,097Sticker price $3,945 | Highest price of any hospital | $1,097 | $3,945 |
Procedure code 72148. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.