Prices at 3 hospitals in Augusta, GA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,319 — 32% below the US median ($1,936), roughly 6.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Augusta Hospital | Augusta, GA | $1,319 | $1,627 | ★ 2/5 | 204 min | — |
| Augusta VA Medical Center | Augusta, GA | $1,319 | $1,627 | ★ 4/5 | — | — |
| Doctors Hospital | Augusta, GA | $9,402 | $313 | ★ 3/5 | 174 min | — |
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 October 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 $1,319 — about 6.9× the Medicare rate ($192). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($383).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $4,397 list price could save about $3,078 (70%).
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 Augusta
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muaz Ibrahim, M.D | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 234 |
| Harshang Patel, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 158 |
| John Hansen, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 123 |
| Thomas Parfenchuck, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 57 |
| John Morris, DO | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 33 |
| Richard Kelly, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 30 |
| Bruce Gilbert, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 26 |
| Terry Arrington, M.D. | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 17 |
| William Parker, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 14 |
| Manoj Ambur, M.B.B.S | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 11 |
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices in Georgia → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Augusta