MRI lower back with and without contrast in Kentucky
Below is what hospitals in Kentucky charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 13 hospitals in Kentucky run from $1,263 to $4,391. The typical hospital charges $2,291. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $2,291
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton Hospitals, Inc Louisville, KY · Price file February 11, 2026 | $1,263Insurance typically pays $1,042Sticker price $6,314 | Lowest price of any hospital | $1,042 | $6,314 |
| St Claire Regional Medical Center KY · Price file June 18, 2026 | $1,303Insurance typically pays $1,091Sticker price $1,737 | Cheaper than 92% of hospitals | $1,091 | $1,737 |
| St Elizabeth Edgewood Edgewood, KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,434Insurance typically pays $533Sticker price $1,434 | Cheaper than 83% of hospitals | $533 | $1,434 |
| King'S Daughters' Medical Center Ashland, KY | $1,615Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $5,383 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | — | $5,383 |
| Russell County Hospital KY · Price file August 31, 2026 | $1,621Insurance typically pays $1,000Sticker price $2,026 | Cheaper than 67% of hospitals | $1,000 | $2,026 |
| Breckinridge Memorial Hospital KY · Price file July 16, 2026 | $2,184Insurance typically pays $1,542Sticker price $4,368 | Cheaper than 58% of hospitals | $1,542 | $4,368 |
| Monroe County Medical Center KY · Price file October 8, 2026 | $2,291Insurance typically pays $705Sticker price $2,760 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $705 | $2,760 |
| Meadowview Regional Medical Center KY | $2,798Insurance typically pays $798Sticker price $6,996 | Pricier than 58% of hospitals | $798 | $6,996 |
| Murray-calloway County Hospital KY · Price file September 9, 2026 | $3,415Insurance typically pays $946Sticker price $5,254 | Pricier than 67% of hospitals | $946 | $5,254 |
| Jackson Purchase Medical Center KY | $3,519Insurance typically pays $618Sticker price $8,799 | Pricier than 75% of hospitals | $618 | $8,799 |
| Baptist Health Louisville Louisville, KY · Price file September 25, 2026 | $4,318Insurance typically pays $2,230Sticker price $5,757 | Pricier than 83% of hospitals | $2,230 | $5,757 |
| Spring View Hospital KY | $4,337Insurance typically pays $606Sticker price $10,842 | Pricier than 92% of hospitals | $606 | $10,842 |
| Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care Ct KY · Price file July 1, 2026 | $4,391Insurance typically pays $774Sticker price $5,778 | Highest price of any hospital | $774 | $5,778 |
| The Medical Center At Caverna KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $1,011Sticker price $3,260 | — | $1,011 | $3,260 |
| The Medical Center At Scottsville KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $750Sticker price $3,260 | — | $750 | $3,260 |
| The Medical Center At Franklin KY · Price file April 1, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $765Sticker price $2,835 | — | $765 | $2,835 |
| The Medical Center At Albany KY · Price file July 1, 2024 | —Insurance typically pays $1,011Sticker price $3,260 | — | $1,011 | $3,260 |
| Frankfort Regional Medical Center KY | —Insurance typically pays $828Sticker price — | — | $828 | — |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.