Prices at 3 hospitals in Winston-salem, NC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,077 — 6% below the US median ($2,210), roughly 7.7× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center | Winston-salem, NC | $1,510 | $625 | ★ 4/5 | 206 min | — |
| North Carolina Baptist Hospital | Winston-salem, NC | $2,644 | $1,766 | ★ 4/5 | 183 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 $2,077 — about 7.7× the Medicare rate ($270). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($539).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,902 list price could save about $1,825 (47%).
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 lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices in North Carolina → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Winston-salem