Prices at 14 hospitals in Philadelphia, PA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $6,932 — 214% above the US median ($2,204), roughly 25.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nazareth Hospital | Philadelphia, PA | $2,784 | $581 | ★ 2/5 | 216 min | 14.5% |
| St Christopher's Hospital for Children | Philadelphia, PA | $6,506 | $1,861 | — | — | — |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children-Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $7,357 | $339 | — | — | — |
| Penn Presbyterian Medical Center | Philadelphia, PA | $8,858 | $2,739 | ★ 4/5 | 316 min | 15.2% |
| Philadelphia VA Medical Center | Philadelphia, PA | $9,702 | $3,453 | ★ 5/5 | — | 14.5% |
| Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | Philadelphia, PA | $9,702 | $3,453 | — | — | — |
| Hospital of Univ of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $10,966 | $2,851 | ★ 5/5 | 280 min | 14.4% |
| Pennsylvania Hospital | Philadelphia, PA | $11,201 | $2,385 | ★ 4/5 | 272 min | 15.8% |
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 $6,932 — about 25.6× the Medicare rate ($271). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($542).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $9,702 list price could save about $2,770 (29%).
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 Pennsylvania → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Philadelphia