Prices at 16 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,696 — 23% below the US median ($2,204), roughly 6.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Luke Community Hospital | Ronan, MT | $257 | $916 | — | 109 min | — |
| St Peters Health | Helena, MT | $259 | $236 | ★ 3/5 | 179 min | — |
| Big Horn Hospital | Hardin, MT | $952 | $797 | — | 140 min | — |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $958 | $523 | ★ 3/5 | 152 min | — |
| Billings Clinic | Billings, MT | $1,227 | — | ★ 4/5 | 176 min | — |
| Billings Clinic Broadwater | Townsend, MT | $1,227 | — | — | 76 min | — |
| Great Falls Clinic Hospital | Great Falls, MT | $1,371 | $408 | ★ 2/5 | 140 min | — |
| Rosebud Health Care Center | Forsyth, MT | $1,695 | $1,661 | — | 97 min | — |
| Fallon Medical Complex Hospital | Baker, MT | $1,698 | $443 | — | 102 min | — |
| Roosevelt Medical Center | Culbertson, MT | $1,865 | $1,748 | — | 100 min | — |
| Phillips County Hospital-CAH | Malta, MT | $1,973 | — | — | 78 min | — |
| Clark Fork Valley Hospital | Plains, MT | $2,052 | $1,890 | — | 148 min | — |
| Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital | Bozeman, MT | $2,349 | $392 | ★ 4/5 | 142 min | — |
| Community Medical Center | Missoula, MT | $2,637 | $3,736 | ★ 3/5 | 138 min | — |
| Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center | Big Sky, MT | $2,717 | $392 | — | 107 min | — |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | Deer Lodge, MT | $3,318 | $3,295 | — | 122 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 $1,696 — about 6.3× the Medicare rate ($271). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($542).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) cost in other states
All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Montana →