Prices at 13 hospitals in South Dakota, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $3,362 — 51% above the US median ($2,221), roughly 12.5× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunes Surgical Hospital | Dakota Dunes, SD | $589 | $734 | — | — | 15.3% |
| Faulkton Area Medical Center | Faulkton, SD | $2,209 | — | — | 118 min | 15.0% |
| Brookings Health System | Brookings, SD | $2,929 | $4,288 | ★ 4/5 | 100 min | 13.7% |
| Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center | Chamberlain, SD | $3,286 | $3,049 | — | 87 min | 15.6% |
| Sanford Usd Medical Center | Sioux Falls, SD | $3,290 | $1,491 | ★ 5/5 | 196 min | 14.5% |
| Sanford Medical Center Aberdeen | Aberdeen, SD | $3,348 | $2,953 | ★ 4/5 | 134 min | 14.6% |
| Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center | Clear Lake, SD | $3,362 | $3,448 | — | 100 min | — |
| Sanford Hospital Webster-CAH | Webster, SD | $3,616 | $3,356 | — | 111 min | 14.7% |
| Community Memorial Hospital | Redfield, SD | $4,022 | $4,495 | ★ 4/5 | 99 min | 15.0% |
| Winner Regional Healthcare Center-CAH | Winner, SD | $4,509 | $3,833 | — | 108 min | 15.1% |
| Douglas County Memorial Hospital-CAH | Armour, SD | $4,596 | $4,728 | — | 115 min | 15.1% |
| Avera Sacred Heart Hospital | Yankton, SD | $5,580 | $4,985 | ★ 3/5 | 116 min | 15.4% |
| Avera Gregory Hospital | Gregory, SD | $5,580 | $4,985 | — | 140 min | 14.3% |
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 $3,362 — about 12.5× 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 $4,274 list price could save about $911 (21%).
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 South Dakota →