Prices at 6 hospitals in Charlotte, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,699 — 10% below the US median ($1,883), roughly 7.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $1,263 | $496 | ★ 5/5 | 162 min | — |
| Atrium Health Pineville | Charlotte, NC | $1,699 | $671 | ★ 3/5 | 160 min | — |
| Carolinas Medical Center/behav Health | Charlotte, NC | $1,699 | $900 | ★ 4/5 | 196 min | — |
| Atrium Health University City | Charlotte, NC | $1,699 | $664 | ★ 3/5 | 148 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 October 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 $1,699 — about 7.6× the Medicare rate ($222). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($445).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,398 list price could save about $1,699 (50%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Charlotte
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Essenberg, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charlotte, NC | 52 |
| Frank Kosarek, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Charlotte, NC | 52 |
| Joshua Arnold, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charlotte, NC | 35 |
All MRI of the ankle without contrast prices in North Carolina → · All MRI of the ankle without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Charlotte