MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast cost in Minneapolis, MN

Prices at 3 hospitals in Minneapolis, MN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,159 — 57% below the US median ($2,696), roughly 3.6× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Abbott Northwestern Hospital Minneapolis, MN $799 $864 ★ 4/5 187 min 14.9%
M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center Minneapolis, MN $1,159 $313 ★ 4/5 171 min 14.4%
Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Mn Minneapolis, MN $3,390 $816

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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,891
Cash / self-pay
$1,159
Insurer-negotiated
$816
Medicare pays
$319
$871$2,944
Median cash $1,159  ·  Medicare $319  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,159 — about 3.6× the Medicare rate ($319). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($637).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,891 list price could save about $1,732 (60%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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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 Minnesota → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Minneapolis