MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) cost in Arizona

Prices at 36 hospitals in Arizona, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,162 — 47% below the US median ($2,210), roughly 4.3× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Banner Boswell Medical Center Sun City, AZ $351 $487 ★ 3/5 224 min
Banner Ironwood Medical Center Queen Creek, AZ $354 $487 ★ 3/5 221 min
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center Sun City West, AZ $378 $419 ★ 3/5 230 min
Banner Baywood Medical Center Mesa, AZ $381 $487 ★ 2/5 259 min
Banner Estrella Medical Center Phoenix, AZ $387 $487 ★ 3/5 236 min
Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Casa Grande, AZ $399 $419 ★ 2/5 174 min
Banner Ocotillo Medical Center Chandler, AZ $432 $425 ★ 3/5 180 min
Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix Phoenix, AZ $435 $381 ★ 3/5 266 min
Banner Gateway Medical Center Gilbert, AZ $490 $419 ★ 3/5 224 min
Banner-University Medical Center South Campus Tucson, AZ $506 $400 ★ 4/5 260 min
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center Glendale, AZ $526 $400 ★ 4/5 234 min
Banner Desert Medical Center Mesa, AZ $574 $419 ★ 2/5 269 min
Banner-University Medical Center Tucson Campus Tucson, AZ $661 $392 ★ 3/5 311 min
Holy Cross Hospital Nogales, AZ $706 $185 144 min
Banner Heart Hospital Mesa, AZ $800 $425 ★ 2/5
Banner Payson Medical Center Payson, AZ $1,015 $1,007 ★ 4/5 142 min
Northern Cochise Community Hospital, Inc. Willcox, AZ $1,065 $1,065
Benson Hospital Benson, AZ $1,162 $1,335 155 min
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Gilbert, AZ $1,162 $824 ★ 5/5 215 min
Chandler Regional Medical Center Chandler, AZ $1,266 $662 ★ 4/5 142 min
Tucson Medical Center Tucson, AZ $1,478 $365 ★ 2/5 202 min
White Mountain Regional Medical Center Springerville, AZ $1,945 $80 134 min
Verde Valley Medical Center Cottonwood, AZ $2,012 $455 ★ 4/5 165 min
Flagstaff Medical Center Flagstaff, AZ $2,031 $1,289 ★ 4/5 214 min
Copper Queen Community Hospital Bisbee, AZ $2,391 $837 120 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 September 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$3,121
Cash / self-pay
$1,162
Insurer-negotiated
$455
Medicare pays
$270
$383$5,538
Median cash $1,162  ·  Medicare $270  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,162 — about 4.3× 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 $3,121 list price could save about $1,959 (63%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.

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MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) cost in other states

All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Arizona →