Prices at 56 hospitals in Iowa, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,345 — 23% above the US median ($1,913), roughly 12.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down | Iowa City, IA | $363 | $433 | ★ 4/5 | 149 min | — |
| University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics | Iowa City, IA | $363 | $433 | ★ 2/5 | 210 min | — |
| Van Diest Medical Center | Webster City, IA | $714 | $624 | ★ 5/5 | 103 min | — |
| Greater Regional Medical Center | Creston, IA | $794 | $1,300 | ★ 3/5 | 101 min | — |
| Keokuk County Health Center | Sigourney, IA | $833 | $916 | — | 116 min | — |
| Methodist Jennie Edmundson | Council Bluffs, IA | $1,034 | $598 | ★ 3/5 | 150 min | — |
| Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, IA | $1,034 | $509 | ★ 2/5 | 193 min | — |
| St Lukes Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $1,084 | $214 | ★ 4/5 | 166 min | — |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center | Sioux City, IA | $1,084 | $214 | ★ 2/5 | 174 min | — |
| Spencer Municipal Hospital | Spencer, IA | $1,235 | $885 | ★ 4/5 | 128 min | — |
| Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, IA | $1,292 | $2,193 | — | 104 min | — |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | Storm Lake, IA | $1,403 | $1,701 | ★ 2/5 | 152 min | — |
| Unitypoint Health-Marshalltown | Marshalltown, IA | $1,480 | $235 | ★ 3/5 | 162 min | — |
| Allen Hospital | Waterloo, IA | $1,480 | $214 | ★ 3/5 | 163 min | — |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs, IA | $1,562 | $558 | ★ 5/5 | 171 min | — |
| Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA | $1,596 | $240 | ★ 3/5 | 114 min | — |
| Clarke County Hospital | Osceola, IA | $1,640 | $499 | ★ 5/5 | 104 min | — |
| Cherokee Regional Medical Center | Cherokee, IA | $1,772 | $1,969 | ★ 2/5 | 134 min | — |
| Humboldt County Memorial Hospital | Humboldt, IA | $1,814 | $1,569 | — | 100 min | — |
| Lakes Regional Healthcare | Spirit Lake, IA | $1,888 | $1,489 | ★ 2/5 | 125 min | — |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital | Lake City, IA | $1,889 | — | — | 127 min | — |
| CHI Health-Mercy Corning | Corning, IA | $2,199 | $4,399 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | — |
| Pocahontas Community Hospital | Pocahontas, IA | $2,209 | $2,099 | — | 120 min | — |
| Jones Regional Medical Center | Anamosa, IA | $2,233 | $347 | ★ 4/5 | 116 min | — |
| CHI Health Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley, IA | $2,245 | $4,399 | ★ 4/5 | 105 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 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 $2,345 — about 12.3× the Medicare rate ($190). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($381).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $3,412 list price could save about $1,067 (31%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) without contrast cost in other states
All MRI of the mid-back (thoracic spine) without contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in Iowa →