Prices at 4 hospitals in New Orleans, LA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $650 — 67% below the US median ($1,947), roughly 3.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Medical Center Acute | New Orleans, LA | $522 | $913 | ★ 4/5 | 168 min | 16.2% |
| New Orleans East Hospital | New Orleans, LA | $650 | $406 | — | 137 min | 14.9% |
| Childrens Hospital | New Orleans, LA | $851 | $755 | — | — | — |
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 June 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 $650 — about 3.2× the Medicare rate ($204). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($409).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,954 list price could save about $2,304 (78%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All MRI of the knee without contrast prices in Louisiana → · All MRI of the knee without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in New Orleans