MRI lower back with and without contrast in Alabama
Below is what hospitals in Alabama charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 7 hospitals in Alabama run from $1,183 to $4,974. The typical hospital charges $4,974. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $4,974
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
9 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 | $1,183Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,958 | Lowest price of any hospital | — | $2,958 |
| Grandview Medical Center AL · Price file November 22, 2024 | $2,483Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $16,552 | Cheaper than 83% of hospitals | — | $16,552 |
| Cullman Regional Medical Center AL | $2,843Insurance typically pays $327Sticker price $5,301 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $327 | $5,301 |
| Decatur Morgan Hospital-decatur Campus AL | $4,974Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,974 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $345 | $4,974 |
| Athens Limestone Hospital AL | $4,974Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,974 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $345 | $4,974 |
| Huntsville Hospital AL | $4,974Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,974 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $345 | $4,974 |
| Helen Keller Memorial Hospital AL | $4,974Insurance typically pays $345Sticker price $4,974 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $345 | $4,974 |
| North Alabama Medical Center AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,068 | — | — | $7,068 |
| Shoals Hospital AL · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,068 | — | — | $7,068 |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.