MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast cost in Chicago, IL
Prices at 18 hospitals in Chicago, IL, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,538 — 21% below the US median ($1,948), roughly 8.0× the Medicare rate.
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)
$3,580
Cash / self-pay
$1,538
Insurer-negotiated
$289
Medicare pays
$192
$277$4,354
Median cash $1,538 · Medicare $192 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+
Typical cash price here is $1,538 — about 8.0× 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 $3,580 list price could save about $2,042 (57%).
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.
