Prices at 4 hospitals in Hawaii, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,499 — 32% below the US median ($2,211), roughly 5.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kau Hospital | Pahala, HI | $852 | — | — | 83 min | — |
| Kona Community Hospital | Kealakekua, HI | $1,361 | $481 | ★ 2/5 | 169 min | 14.6% |
| North Hawaii Community Hospital, Inc | Kamuela, HI | $1,637 | $405 | ★ 3/5 | 135 min | 14.4% |
| Shriners Hospital for Children | Honolulu, HI | $8,666 | $381 | — | — | — |
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 $1,499 — about 5.6× the Medicare rate ($270). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($539).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,216 list price could save about $717 (32%).
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) cost in other states
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Hawaii →