Prices at 3 hospitals in Minneapolis, MN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $708 — 68% below the US median ($2,210), roughly 2.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Health Fairview University of Mn Medical Center | Minneapolis, MN | $561 | $264 | ★ 4/5 | 174 min | — |
| Abbott Northwestern Hospital | Minneapolis, MN | $708 | $820 | ★ 4/5 | 183 min | — |
| Children's Hospitals & Clinics of Mn | Minneapolis, MN | $2,848 | $718 | — | — | — |
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 $708 — about 2.6× the Medicare rate ($270). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($539).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,474 list price could save about $767 (52%).
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 | 83 |
| Samantha Pisani Petrucci, MD, PHD | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 27 |
| David Nascene, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 17 |
| Mark Folkertsma, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Minneapolis, MN | 14 |
All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices in Minnesota → · All MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Minneapolis