MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with contrast cost in Phoenix, AZ

Prices at 4 hospitals in Phoenix, AZ, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,856 — 15% below the US median ($2,177), roughly 6.8× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Banner Estrella Medical Center Phoenix, AZ $385 $518 ★ 3/5 243 min 13.9%
Banner-University Medical Center Phoenix Phoenix, AZ $433 $410 ★ 3/5 265 min 14.9%
Mayo Clinic Hospital Phoenix, AZ $3,280 ★ 5/5 199 min 14.1%
Honorhealth Tempe Medical Center Phoenix, AZ $6,449 $510 163 min 15.0%

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 July 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)
$3,345
Cash / self-pay
$1,856
Insurer-negotiated
$510
Medicare pays
$271
$399$5,498
Median cash $1,856  ·  Medicare $271  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,856 — about 6.8× the Medicare rate ($271). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($542).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,345 list price could save about $1,489 (45%).

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.

All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with contrast prices in Arizona → · All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) with contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Phoenix