Prices at 14 hospitals in Montana, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,530 — 20% below the US median ($1,920), roughly 8.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Horn Hospital | Hardin, MT | $657 | $719 | — | 140 min | — |
| Sidney Health Center | Sidney, MT | $958 | $335 | ★ 3/5 | 152 min | 14.7% |
| Billings Clinic | Billings, MT | $1,130 | — | ★ 4/5 | 172 min | 14.2% |
| Billings Clinic Broadwater | Townsend, MT | $1,130 | — | — | 81 min | — |
| Great Falls Clinic Hospital | Great Falls, MT | $1,315 | $352 | ★ 2/5 | 136 min | 15.0% |
| Roosevelt Medical Center | Culbertson, MT | $1,389 | $1,361 | — | 94 min | — |
| Fallon Medical Complex Hospital | Baker, MT | $1,670 | $322 | — | 92 min | 15.2% |
| Rosebud Health Care Center | Forsyth, MT | $1,695 | $1,661 | — | 105 min | — |
| Phillips County Hospital-CAH | Malta, MT | $1,792 | — | — | 77 min | 15.3% |
| Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital | Bozeman, MT | $1,920 | $250 | ★ 4/5 | 142 min | 14.4% |
| Clark Fork Valley Hospital | Plains, MT | $2,052 | $2,052 | — | 153 min | 14.7% |
| Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center | Big Sky, MT | $2,383 | $250 | — | 106 min | — |
| Deer Lodge Medical Center | Deer Lodge, MT | $2,775 | $2,929 | — | 118 min | 15.3% |
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)
Typical cash price here is $1,530 — about 8.0× 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 $1,609 list price could save about $79 (5%).
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 Montana →