Prices at 3 hospitals in Bakersfield, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,892 — 13% below the US median ($2,172), roughly 7.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Medical Center | Bakersfield, CA | $943 | $299 | ★ 1/5 | 293 min | 15.3% |
| Mercy Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $1,892 | $1,035 | ★ 3/5 | 190 min | 15.3% |
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $3,189 | $525 | ★ 3/5 | 226 min | 15.2% |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $1,892 — about 7.0× the Medicare rate ($269). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($538).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $8,595 list price could save about $6,703 (78%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Bakersfield
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorraine Ash, D.O. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 215 |
| Manjul Shah, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 177 |
| John Gundzik, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 146 |
| Rachel Brock, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 31 |
| Gabriel Gelves, DO | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 22 |
All MRI of the brain prices in California → · All MRI of the brain prices (national) · All hospitals in Bakersfield