MRI lower back with and without contrast in North Carolina
Below is what hospitals in North Carolina charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 11 hospitals in North Carolina run from $2,328 to $8,384. The typical hospital charges $3,307. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $3,307
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Regional Hospital NC | $2,328Insurance typically pays $2,956Sticker price $5,819 | Lowest price of any hospital | $2,956 | $5,819 |
| Carolinas Medical Center-Northeast Concord, NC · Price file December 1, 2025 | $2,656Insurance typically pays $1,155Sticker price $5,312 | Cheaper than 90% of hospitals | $1,155 | $5,312 |
| Person Memorial Hospital NC | $3,068Insurance typically pays $1,322Sticker price $7,670 | Cheaper than 80% of hospitals | $1,322 | $7,670 |
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center NC | $3,103Insurance typically pays $2,050Sticker price $7,757 | Cheaper than 70% of hospitals | $2,050 | $7,757 |
| Carolina East Medical Center NC · Price file September 25, 2026 | $3,245Insurance typically pays $4,598Sticker price $5,409 | Cheaper than 60% of hospitals | $4,598 | $5,409 |
| Frye Regional Medical Center NC | $3,307Insurance typically pays $786Sticker price $8,268 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $786 | $8,268 |
| Sampson Regional Medical Center NC · Price file November 2, 2026 | $3,493Insurance typically pays $992Sticker price $4,990 | Pricier than 60% of hospitals | $992 | $4,990 |
| Cape Fear Valley Medical Center Fayetteville, NC | $4,239Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $7,065 | Pricier than 70% of hospitals | — | $7,065 |
| Wilson Medical Center NC | $4,622Insurance typically pays $820Sticker price $11,554 | Pricier than 80% of hospitals | $820 | $11,554 |
| Caromont Regional Medical Center NC · Price file May 11, 2026 | $7,482Insurance typically pays $1,149Sticker price $7,482 | Pricier than 90% of hospitals | $1,149 | $7,482 |
| Memorial Mission Hospital And Asheville Surgery Ce NC · Price file September 1, 2026 | $8,384Insurance typically pays $2,909Sticker price $8,384 | Highest price of any hospital | $2,909 | $8,384 |
| Central Carolina Hospital NC · Price file July 20, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays —Sticker price $4,027 | — | — | $4,027 |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.