Prices at 86 hospitals in Wisconsin, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,246 — about the US median ($2,210), roughly 8.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Croix Regional Medical Center | Saint Croix Falls, WI | $1,167 | $570 | ★ 3/5 | 139 min | 14.5% |
| Gundersen St Josephs Hospital and Clinics | Hillsboro, WI | $1,293 | $1,426 | — | 116 min | 14.8% |
| Gundersen Moundview Hospital and Clinics | Friendship, WI | $1,293 | $1,426 | — | 69 min | 14.9% |
| Gundersen Tri-County Hospital & Clinics | Whitehall, WI | $1,293 | $1,426 | — | 124 min | 14.6% |
| Ascension All Saints Hospital | Racine, WI | $1,387 | $760 | ★ 2/5 | 148 min | 14.1% |
| Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital | Milwaukee, WI | $1,387 | $760 | ★ 5/5 | 119 min | 13.6% |
| Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital | Franklin, WI | $1,387 | $760 | — | — | 15.7% |
| Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center Inc | La Crosse, WI | $1,401 | — | ★ 5/5 | 132 min | 14.3% |
| Mayo Clinic Hlth Systm Franciscan Hlthcare Sparta | Sparta, WI | $1,401 | — | — | 76 min | 14.9% |
| Hudson Hospital | Hudson, WI | $1,409 | $1,069 | ★ 5/5 | 117 min | 14.3% |
| Ascension Ne Wisconsin-St Elizabeth Campus | Appleton, WI | $1,509 | $343 | ★ 4/5 | 148 min | 14.8% |
| River Falls Area Hospital | River Falls, WI | $1,648 | $1,592 | ★ 5/5 | 96 min | 14.0% |
| Westfields Hospital and Clinic | New Richmond, WI | $1,774 | $1,417 | ★ 4/5 | 108 min | 14.9% |
| Beloit Health System | Beloit, WI | $1,824 | $3,478 | ★ 3/5 | 122 min | 15.5% |
| Thedacare Regional Med Ctr-Neenah | Neenah, WI | $1,840 | $913 | ★ 4/5 | 142 min | 14.8% |
| Thedacare Regional Medical Center-Appleton Inc | Appleton, WI | $1,840 | $337 | ★ 4/5 | 147 min | 13.1% |
| Bellin Memorial Hospital | Green Bay, WI | $1,869 | $658 | ★ 4/5 | 151 min | 14.2% |
| Bellin Health Oconto Hospital | Oconto, WI | $1,869 | $658 | — | 86 min | — |
| Holy Family Memorial | Manitowoc, WI | $1,925 | $2,175 | ★ 3/5 | 143 min | 14.6% |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Manitowoc County | Two Rivers, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 5/5 | 113 min | 14.8% |
| Aurora Medical Center Sheboygan County | Sheboygan, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 5/5 | 171 min | 14.4% |
| Aurora Medical Ctr Washington County | Hartford, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 4/5 | 124 min | 15.7% |
| Aurora Memorial Hospital Burlington | Burlington, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 4/5 | 186 min | 15.2% |
| Aurora Lakeland Medical Center | Elkhorn, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 5/5 | 150 min | 14.9% |
| Aurora Medical Center Bay Area | Marinette, WI | $2,210 | $1,350 | ★ 4/5 | 131 min | 15.7% |
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 $2,246 — about 8.3× 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 $3,926 list price could save about $1,680 (43%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
By city
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 Wisconsin →