Prices at 65 hospitals in Michigan, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,731 — 11% below the US median ($1,948), roughly 9.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparrow Ionia Hospital | Ionia, MI | $319 | $569 | ★ 2/5 | 158 min | 15.2% |
| University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Eaton | Charlotte, MI | $338 | $800 | ★ 1/5 | 152 min | 15.0% |
| University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Clinton | Saint Johns, MI | $349 | $628 | ★ 4/5 | 183 min | 15.0% |
| University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Carson | Carson City, MI | $353 | $244 | ★ 4/5 | 95 min | 15.2% |
| Hills & Dales General Hospital | Cass City, MI | $394 | $1,544 | ★ 4/5 | 94 min | 14.7% |
| McLaren Bay Region | Bay City, MI | $446 | $132 | ★ 1/5 | 170 min | 16.3% |
| McLaren Thumb Region | Bad Axe, MI | $506 | $102 | ★ 5/5 | 118 min | 14.2% |
| McLaren Flint | Flint, MI | $538 | $132 | ★ 2/5 | 186 min | 16.0% |
| McLaren Port Huron | Port Huron, MI | $616 | $136 | ★ 2/5 | 238 min | 15.2% |
| Hurley Medical Center | Flint, MI | $718 | $199 | ★ 2/5 | 169 min | 15.6% |
| McLaren Northern Michigan | Petoskey, MI | $725 | $132 | ★ 3/5 | 150 min | 14.8% |
| McLaren Oakland | Pontiac, MI | $812 | $134 | ★ 2/5 | 106 min | 15.2% |
| McLaren Lapeer Region | Lapeer, MI | $822 | $132 | ★ 2/5 | 186 min | 14.6% |
| University of Michigan Health System | Ann Arbor, MI | $886 | $263 | ★ 4/5 | 358 min | 15.3% |
| Ascension Providence Hospital, Southfield and Novi | Southfield, MI | $916 | $213 | ★ 4/5 | 192 min | 14.2% |
| Ascension Providence Rochester Hospital | Rochester, MI | $916 | $213 | ★ 3/5 | 195 min | 15.2% |
| Henry Ford Health St John Hospital | Detroit, MI | $925 | $494 | ★ 1/5 | 170 min | 15.3% |
| Ascension River District Hospital | East China, MI | $930 | $273 | ★ 3/5 | 123 min | 14.6% |
| McLaren Macomb | Mount Clemens, MI | $946 | $134 | ★ 1/5 | 168 min | 15.2% |
| McLaren Greater Lansing | Lansing, MI | $1,071 | $132 | ★ 3/5 | 259 min | 14.7% |
| Tawas St Joseph Hospital | Tawas City, MI | $1,181 | $277 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | 14.8% |
| Saint Mary's Standish Community Hospital | Standish, MI | $1,287 | $168 | ★ 4/5 | 105 min | 15.2% |
| University of Michigan Health-West | Wyoming, MI | $1,300 | $131 | ★ 4/5 | 184 min | 14.5% |
| Three Rivers Health | Three Rivers, MI | $1,321 | $1,271 | ★ 2/5 | 150 min | 15.0% |
| Hillsdale Hospital | Hillsdale, MI | $1,448 | $236 | ★ 3/5 | 188 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)
Typical cash price here is $1,731 — about 9.0× 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 $2,544 list price could save about $813 (32%).
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) without contrast cost in other states
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in Michigan →