Prices at 7 hospitals in Kansas City, MO, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $892 — 60% below the US median ($2,204), roughly 3.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph Medical Center | Kansas City, MO | $347 | $348 | ★ 3/5 | 126 min | 14.9% |
| The Children's Mercy Hospital | Kansas City, MO | $801 | $238 | — | — | — |
| Truman Medical Center Hospital Hill | Kansas City, MO | $892 | $516 | ★ 3/5 | 191 min | 15.7% |
| University Health Lakewood Medical Center | Kansas City, MO | $892 | $495 | ★ 4/5 | 145 min | 14.4% |
| St Lukes Hospital of Kansas City | Kansas City, MO | $2,264 | $1,439 | ★ 5/5 | 222 min | 14.5% |
| Saint Lukes North Hospital | Kansas City, MO | $4,046 | $1,782 | ★ 5/5 | 171 min | 13.7% |
| Research Medical Center | Kansas City, MO | $19,488 | $828 | ★ 2/5 | 89 min | 15.9% |
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 August 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 $892 — about 3.3× the Medicare rate ($271). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($542).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,774 list price could save about $2,882 (76%).
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) prices in Missouri → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Kansas City