MRI lower back with and without contrast in Missouri
Below is what hospitals in Missouri charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 15 hospitals in Missouri run from $882 to $5,096. The typical hospital charges $1,669. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,669
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone Hospital Center Columbia, MO · Price file April 1, 2026 | $882Insurance typically pays $364Sticker price $1,470 | Lowest price of any hospital | $364 | $1,470 |
| Childrens Mercy Hospital MO | $1,334Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $2,780 | Cheaper than 93% of hospitals | — | $2,780 |
| Parkland Health Center MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| St Louis Childrens Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Barnes Jewish Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Missouri Baptist Medical Center MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Barnes-jewish St Peters Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Christian Hospital Northeast-northwest MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Progress West Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Barnes-jewish West County Hospital MO · Price file December 15, 2025 | $1,669Insurance typically pays $1,613Sticker price $2,781 | Cheaper than 86% of hospitals | $1,613 | $2,781 |
| Hermann Area District Hospital MO · Price file October 28, 2026 | $2,086Insurance typically pays $1,530Sticker price $3,478 | Pricier than 79% of hospitals | $1,530 | $3,478 |
| Freeman Health System - Freeman West Joplin, MO · Price file September 1, 2026 | $2,473Insurance typically pays $363Sticker price $6,183 | Pricier than 86% of hospitals | $363 | $6,183 |
| University Of Missouri Health Care Columbia, MO · Price file December 23, 2025 | $2,563Insurance typically pays $1,072Sticker price $4,271 | Pricier than 93% of hospitals | $1,072 | $4,271 |
| Phelps Health MO · Price file February 16, 2026 | $5,096Insurance typically pays $4,530Sticker price $5,662 | Highest price of any hospital | $4,530 | $5,662 |
| Lafayette Regional Health Center MO | —Insurance typically pays $476Sticker price — | — | $476 | — |
| Research Medical Center MO | —Insurance typically pays $811Sticker price — | — | $811 | — |
| Centerpoint Medical Center MO | —Insurance typically pays $820Sticker price — | — | $820 | — |
| Belton Regional Medical Center MO | —Insurance typically pays $652Sticker price — | — | $652 | — |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.