Prices at 3 hospitals in Fresno, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $609 — 77% below the US median ($2,696), roughly 1.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Agnes Medical Center | Fresno, CA | $273 | $91 | ★ 2/5 | 244 min | 15.9% |
| Fresno Surgical Hospital | Fresno, CA | $609 | $483 | — | — | 14.4% |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Fresno | Fresno, CA | $6,838 | $500 | ★ 4/5 | — | 14.6% |
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 $609 — about 1.9× the Medicare rate ($319). Reasonable. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($637).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $6,242 list price could save about $5,632 (90%).
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 mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices in California → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Fresno