MRI lower back with and without contrast in New York
Below is what hospitals in New York charge if you pay cash, and the typical rate insurers negotiated.
Cash prices at 9 hospitals in New York run from $635 to $6,680. The typical hospital charges $1,916. Where a hospital sits on this scale matters more than the number alone:
typical: $1,916
Cheaper than most hospitalsPricier than most hospitals
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Hospital For Cancer And Allied Diseases NY · Price file September 15, 2024 | $635Insurance typically pays $515Sticker price $635 | Lowest price of any hospital | $515 | $635 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital NY | $654Insurance typically pays $369Sticker price $1,768 | Cheaper than 88% of hospitals | $369 | $1,768 |
| Garnet Health Medical Center Catskills - (csk) NY · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,380Insurance typically pays $868Sticker price $5,519 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | $868 | $5,519 |
| Garnet Health Medical Center NY · Price file April 1, 2026 | $1,380Insurance typically pays $868Sticker price $5,519 | Cheaper than 75% of hospitals | $868 | $5,519 |
| Nyu Langone Hospitals New York, NY · Price file January 1, 2026 | $1,916Insurance typically pays $796Sticker price $10,085 | Cheaper than 50% of hospitals | $796 | $10,085 |
| Montefiore Medical Center T C NY · Price file September 28, 2026 | $3,126Insurance typically pays $161Sticker price $4,780 | Pricier than 62% of hospitals | $161 | $4,780 |
| New York-Presbyterian Hospital New York, NY · Price file March 31, 2026 | $4,916Insurance typically pays $982Sticker price $6,554 | Pricier than 75% of hospitals | $982 | $6,554 |
| Ira Davenport Memorial Hospital NY · Price file October 2, 2025 | $6,680Insurance typically pays $4,161Sticker price $6,680 | Pricier than 88% of hospitals | $4,161 | $6,680 |
| Arnot Ogden Medical Center NY · Price file January 13, 2026 | $6,680Insurance typically pays $4,161Sticker price $6,680 | Pricier than 88% of hospitals | $4,161 | $6,680 |
| University Hospital S U N Y Health Science Center NY · Price file September 5, 2026 | —Insurance typically pays $1,180Sticker price $11,787 | — | $1,180 | $11,787 |
Procedure code 72158. Prices are from each hospital's own published price file — see methodology.