Prices at 14 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,654 — 15% below the US median ($1,948), roughly 8.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Horn Hospital | Hardin, MT | $658 | $720 | — | 140 min | — |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $877 | $335 | ★ 3/5 | 152 min | 14.7% |
| Billings Clinic | Billings, MT | $1,129 | — | ★ 4/5 | 172 min | 14.2% |
| Billings Clinic Broadwater | Townsend, MT | $1,129 | — | — | 81 min | — |
| Great Falls Clinic Hospital | Great Falls, MT | $1,316 | $352 | ★ 2/5 | 136 min | 15.0% |
| Community Medical Center | Missoula, MT | $1,394 | $2,206 | ★ 3/5 | 128 min | 15.2% |
| Roosevelt Medical Center | Culbertson, MT | $1,396 | $1,368 | — | 94 min | — |
| Phillips County Hospital-CAH | Malta, MT | $1,912 | — | — | 77 min | 15.3% |
| Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital | Bozeman, MT | $1,983 | $250 | ★ 4/5 | 142 min | 14.4% |
| Clark Fork Valley Hospital | Plains, MT | $2,024 | $2,024 | — | 153 min | 14.7% |
| Fallon Medical Complex Hospital | Baker, MT | $2,503 | $324 | — | 92 min | 15.2% |
| Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center | Big Sky, MT | $2,509 | $250 | — | 106 min | — |
| Rosebud Health Care Center | Forsyth, MT | $2,510 | $2,460 | — | 105 min | — |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | Deer Lodge, MT | $2,765 | $2,918 | — | 118 min | 15.3% |
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 $1,654 — about 8.6× 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 $2,074 list price could save about $420 (20%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
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 Montana →