MRI lower back with and without contrast in Iowa
Below is what hospitals in Iowa charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 30 hospitals in Iowa run from $765 to $5,891. The typical hospital charges $2,192. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,192
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Diest Medical Center IA · Price file November 12, 2022 | $765Insurance typically pays $860Sticker price $956 | Lowest price of any hospital | $860 | $956 |
| Finley Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Allen Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Trinity Muscatine IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Jones Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Grinnell Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| St Lukes Hospital IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Unitypoint Health - Marshalltown IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Trinity Regional Medical Center IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Unitypoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medi IA · Price file November 4, 2026 | $810Insurance typically pays $344Sticker price $1,013 | Cheaper than 97% of hospitals | $344 | $1,013 |
| Orange City Area Health System IA · Price file September 23, 2026 | $1,202Insurance typically pays $754Sticker price $1,503 | Cheaper than 62% of hospitals | $754 | $1,503 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond IA · Price file April 22, 2026 | $1,996Insurance typically pays $910Sticker price $3,328 | Cheaper than 59% of hospitals | $910 | $3,328 |
| Iowa Specialty Hospital - Clarion IA · Price file June 11, 2026 | $2,033Insurance typically pays $910Sticker price $3,388 | Cheaper than 55% of hospitals | $910 | $3,388 |
| Myrtue Medical Center IA · Price file April 21, 2026 | $2,102Insurance typically pays $1,721Sticker price $3,625 | Cheaper than 52% of hospitals | $1,721 | $3,625 |
| Hawarden Regional Healthcare IA | $2,281Insurance typically pays $2,052Sticker price $2,683 | Pricier than 52% of hospitals | $2,052 | $2,683 |
| Jefferson County Health Center IA · Price file August 20, 2026 | $2,573Insurance typically pays $1,673Sticker price $4,289 | Pricier than 55% of hospitals | $1,673 | $4,289 |
| Cass County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 1, 2026 | $2,689Insurance typically pays $1,630Sticker price $3,842 | Pricier than 59% of hospitals | $1,630 | $3,842 |
| Shenandoah Medical Center IA · Price file September 21, 2026 | $2,730Insurance typically pays $1,470Sticker price $4,200 | Pricier than 62% of hospitals | $1,470 | $4,200 |
| Grundy County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file June 29, 2026 | $2,775Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $3,469 | Pricier than 66% of hospitals | — | $3,469 |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital IA | $2,975Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $3,719 | Pricier than 69% of hospitals | — | $3,719 |
| Manning Regional Healthcare Center IA · Price file October 16, 2026 | $3,103Insurance typically pays $3,278Sticker price $4,370 | Pricier than 72% of hospitals | $3,278 | $4,370 |
| Virginia Gay Hospital IA · Price file August 13, 2026 | $3,573Insurance typically pays $2,046Sticker price $4,466 | Pricier than 76% of hospitals | $2,046 | $4,466 |
| Boone County Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $3,615Insurance typically pays $1,898Sticker price $4,519 | Pricier than 79% of hospitals | $1,898 | $4,519 |
| Crawford County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file July 27, 2026 | $3,726Insurance typically pays $3,958Sticker price $4,657 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | $3,958 | $4,657 |
| Madison County Health Care System IA · Price file October 21, 2026 | $4,141Insurance typically pays $3,364Sticker price $5,176 | Pricier than 86% of hospitals | $3,364 | $5,176 |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center IA · Price file March 31, 2026 | $4,317Insurance typically pays $356Sticker price $6,642 | Pricier than 90% of hospitals | $356 | $6,642 |
| Adair County Memorial Hospital IA · Price file September 2, 2026 | $4,440Insurance typically pays $3,848Sticker price $5,920 | Pricier than 93% of hospitals | $3,848 | $5,920 |
| Guthrie County Hospital IA · Price file September 26, 2026 | $4,577Insurance typically pays $3,067Sticker price $4,577 | Pricier than 97% of hospitals | $3,067 | $4,577 |
| St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing Home IA · Price file November 3, 2026 | $5,891Insurance typically pays $2,415Sticker price $5,891 | Highest price of any hospital | $2,415 | $5,891 |
| Ottumwa Regional Health Center IA · Price file July 23, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $10,619 | — | — | $10,619 |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.