MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast cost in Charlotte, NC

Prices at 6 hospitals in Charlotte, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,013 — 3% above the US median ($1,948), roughly 10.5× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Charlotte, NC $1,756 $617 ★ 5/5 157 min 13.3%
Atrium Health Pineville Charlotte, NC $2,013 $428 ★ 3/5 170 min 15.5%
Carolinas Medical Center/behav Health Charlotte, NC $2,013 $962 ★ 4/5 198 min 14.8%
Atrium Health University City Charlotte, NC $2,013 $608 ★ 3/5 144 min 14.9%

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)
$4,026
Cash / self-pay
$2,013
Insurer-negotiated
$518
Medicare pays
$192
$1,833$2,013
Median cash $2,013  ·  Medicare $192  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $2,013 — about 10.5× 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 $4,026 list price could save about $2,013 (50%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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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.

All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices in North Carolina → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Charlotte