Prices at 6 hospitals in Charlotte, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,424 — 16% above the US median ($2,083), roughly 6.5× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $1,685 | $813 | ★ 5/5 | 162 min | — |
| Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center | Charlotte, NC | $1,685 | $836 | — | 192 min | — |
| Atrium Health Pineville | Charlotte, NC | $2,424 | $906 | ★ 3/5 | 160 min | — |
| Carolinas Medical Center/behav Health | Charlotte, NC | $2,424 | $1,298 | ★ 4/5 | 196 min | — |
| Atrium Health University City | Charlotte, NC | $2,424 | $906 | ★ 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 $2,424 — about 6.5× the Medicare rate ($371). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($743).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $4,848 list price could save about $2,424 (50%).
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 chest prices in North Carolina → · All MRI of the chest prices (national) · All hospitals in Charlotte