Prices at 3 hospitals in Bakersfield, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,135 — 41% below the US median ($1,936), roughly 5.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kern Medical Center | Bakersfield, CA | $781 | $201 | ★ 1/5 | 306 min | — |
| Mercy Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $1,135 | $619 | ★ 3/5 | 193 min | — |
| Bakersfield Memorial Hospital | Bakersfield, CA | $1,703 | $446 | ★ 3/5 | 240 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 $1,135 — about 5.9× 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 $4,589 list price could save about $3,454 (75%).
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 Bakersfield
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lorraine Ash, D.O. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 414 |
| Gabriel Gelves, DO | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 294 |
| Manjul Shah, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 256 |
| John Gundzik, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 224 |
| Nanci Mercer, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Bakersfield, CA | 105 |
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices in California → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Bakersfield