Prices at 5 hospitals in San Antonio, TX, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $6,771 — 151% above the US median ($2,696), roughly 21.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Health System | San Antonio, TX | $1,880 | $545 | ★ 3/5 | 374 min | 15.1% |
| South Texas Spine and Surgical Hospital | San Antonio, TX | $2,814 | $356 | — | 132 min | 14.4% |
| Methodist Hospital | San Antonio, TX | $10,728 | $790 | ★ 4/5 | 134 min | 15.8% |
| Methodist Hospital Stone Oak | San Antonio, TX | $10,728 | $790 | ★ 4/5 | 172 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 $6,771 — about 21.3× 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 $9,123 list price could save about $2,352 (26%).
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 Texas → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with and without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in San Antonio