MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast cost in Delaware

Prices at 6 hospitals in Delaware, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $3,205 — 44% above the US median ($2,221), roughly 11.9× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Tidalhealth Nanticoke, Inc. Seaford, DE $2,307 $948 ★ 3/5 167 min 15.4%
St Francis Hospital Wilmington, DE $2,469 $1,254 ★ 3/5 194 min 14.8%
Beebe Medical Center Lewes, DE $3,201 $904 ★ 3/5 174 min 14.9%
Bayhealth Medical Center, Kent Campus Dover, DE $3,209 $490 ★ 2/5 278 min 15.0%
Bayhealth Hospital, Sussex Campus Milford, DE $3,209 $475 ★ 3/5 252 min 15.0%
Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Wilmington, DE $5,629 $2,673

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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$3,809
Cash / self-pay
$3,205
Insurer-negotiated
$926
Medicare pays
$270
$2,388$4,419
Median cash $3,205  ·  Medicare $270  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $3,205 — about 11.9× the Medicare rate ($270). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($539).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,809 list price could save about $604 (16%).

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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast cost in other states

All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in Delaware →