Prices at 6 hospitals in Milwaukee, WI, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,650 — 20% above the US median ($2,211), roughly 9.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital | Milwaukee, WI | $1,387 | $487 | ★ 5/5 | 119 min | 13.6% |
| Aurora St Lukes Medical Center | Milwaukee, WI | $2,210 | $1,352 | ★ 4/5 | 174 min | 15.4% |
| Ascension Columbia St Marys Hospital Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $2,650 | $372 | ★ 3/5 | 165 min | 13.7% |
| Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $2,784 | $4,302 | — | — | — |
| Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital | Milwaukee, WI | $2,902 | $2,526 | ★ 3/5 | 275 min | 15.4% |
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 $2,650 — about 9.8× 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 $5,000 list price could save about $2,350 (47%).
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) prices in Wisconsin → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Milwaukee