Prices at 4 hospitals in Aurora, CO, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,966 — 34% above the US median ($2,210), roughly 11.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System | Aurora, CO | $2,839 | $2,938 | ★ 5/5 | — | — |
| Children's Hospital Colorado | Aurora, CO | $2,839 | $2,938 | — | — | — |
| University of Colorado Hospital Authority | Aurora, CO | $3,094 | $1,217 | ★ 5/5 | 102 min | — |
| The Medical Center of Aurora & South Hospital | Aurora, CO | $11,423 | $876 | ★ 4/5 | 134 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)
Typical cash price here is $2,966 — about 11.0× 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 $6,604 list price could save about $3,638 (55%).
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 Aurora
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Honce, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 31 |
| Manuel Borges, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 29 |
| Andrew Callen, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 27 |
| Charles De Pena, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 26 |
| Valeria Potigailo, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 25 |
| Chelsea Jeranko, D.O. | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 18 |
| Debayan Bhaumik, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 16 |
| Gustavo Mendez, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Aurora, CO | 15 |
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices in Colorado → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Aurora