Prices at 6 hospitals in Nashville, TN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $7,528 — 181% above the US median ($2,681), roughly 23.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Nashville, TN | $1,274 | $378 | ★ 5/5 | 269 min | — |
| Metro Nashville General Hospital | Nashville, TN | $2,610 | $101 | ★ 4/5 | 125 min | — |
| Tristar Skyline Medical Center | Nashville, TN | $12,446 | $846 | ★ 2/5 | 180 min | — |
| Tristar Southern Hills Medical Center | Nashville, TN | $13,104 | $846 | ★ 4/5 | 119 min | — |
| Tristar Centennial Medical Center | Nashville, TN | $13,290 | $898 | ★ 4/5 | 115 min | — |
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 September 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 $7,528 — about 23.6× 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 $12,446 list price could save about $4,918 (40%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Nashville
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Creasy, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 41 |
| Michael Modic, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 37 |
| John Ross, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 30 |
| Joseph Aulino, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 17 |
| Morgan Anderson, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 17 |
| Larry Davis, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 14 |
| Scott Forseen, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Nashville, TN | 11 |
All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices in Tennessee → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Nashville