Prices at 4 hospitals in Portland, OR, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,558 — 19% below the US median ($1,920), roughly 8.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy Emanuel Medical Center | Portland, OR | $1,260 | — | ★ 3/5 | 170 min | — |
| Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center | Portland, OR | $1,260 | — | ★ 4/5 | 183 min | — |
| OHSU Hospital and Clinics | Portland, OR | $1,856 | $308 | ★ 3/5 | 224 min | — |
| Shriners Hospital for Children-Portland | Portland, OR | $6,253 | $298 | — | — | — |
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 $1,558 — about 8.2× the Medicare rate ($190). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($381).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,397 list price could save about $839 (35%).
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) without contrast prices in Oregon → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Portland