Prices at 3 hospitals in Minneapolis, MN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $760 — 61% below the US median ($1,939), roughly 4.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital | Minneapolis, MN | $479 | $602 | ★ 4/5 | 187 min | 14.9% |
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center | Minneapolis, MN | $760 | $227 | ★ 4/5 | 171 min | 14.4% |
| Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Mn | Minneapolis, MN | $2,642 | $637 | — | — | — |
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 $760 — about 4.0× the Medicare rate ($192). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($383).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,895 list price could save about $1,135 (60%).
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 Minneapolis
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Menning, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 212 |
| Joshua Heaton, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 74 |
| Can Ozutemiz, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 56 |
| Samantha Pisani Petrucci, MD, PHD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 37 |
| Barbara Knoll, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 36 |
| Grant Larson, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 32 |
| Mark Oswood, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 26 |
| Mark Folkertsma, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 23 |
| Christopher Palmer, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 20 |
| Paul Crowe, M.D. | Orthopedic Surgery | Minneapolis, MN | 18 |
| Frederick Ott, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 16 |
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices in Minnesota → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Minneapolis