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PricedCare

MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Los Angeles, CA costs $305 to $6,557. Here's every hospital's price.

33 hospitals in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area publish a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). We read their files every month so you don't have to.

Across the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro area, 33 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $305 at Saint Francis Medical Center, the median is $1,724 and the highest is $6,557 at Coast Plaza Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 21 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Los Angeles, CA median of $1,724 is 22% above the national median of $1,409 across 481 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

36 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $182 to $14,761. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which is sometimes higher than the cash price; you may ask for the cash price instead.

The files behind these prices are dated between July 2024 and September 2026. 64 other hospitals in the metro area have no readable price for this code: some publish no file, some block automated reading, some leave the code out. They are listed below so you can call them.

$305
lowest cash price in Los Angeles, CA
Saint Francis Medical Center · 13 mi
$1,419 below the median
$1,724
median cash price
33 hospitals
21×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
33/100
hospitals with a cash price
64 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Saint Francis Medical Center

Lynwood · 13 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $2,444
2
Encino Hospital Medical Center

Encino · 18 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $4,349
3
Garden Grove Hospital & Medical Center

Garden Grove · 28 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,091
4
West Anaheim Medical Center

Anaheim · 22 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,273
5
Huntington Beach Hospital

Huntington Beach · 30 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,273
6
La Palma Intercommunity Hospital

La Palma · 20 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,273
7
San Dimas Community Hospital

San Dimas · 20 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,379
8
Centinela Hospital Medical Center

Inglewood · 15 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $2,444
9
Sherman Oaks Hospital

Sherman Oaks · 16 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $2,044 · lowest of 8 lines
10
Providence Cedars Sinai Tarzana Medical Center

Tarzana · 20 mi · File Apr 2026

$742
list $2,120 · lowest of 20 lines
11
Providence Holy Cross Medical Center

Mission Hills · 20 mi · File Apr 2026

$784
list $2,239 · lowest of 20 lines
12
L A Downtown Medical Center

Los Angeles · 5 mi · Older file Jul 2024

$988
list $988
1

What's in the price

The hospital facility fee for CPT 73721. The doctor, anesthesia and lab work usually bill separately.

2

Cash vs. insured

Cash is what you pay without insurance. With insurance you pay a share of the negotiated rate, which can be higher than cash. You may ask for the cash price.

3

What to say on the phone

"I'd like the self-pay price for CPT 73721, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."

About mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast

CPT 73721 is an MRI of a joint in the lower limb, most often the knee, without contrast. It shows ligaments, meniscus and cartilage and is the standard test after a twisting injury or for persistent joint pain. It takes 20 to 40 minutes.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the technical fee: scanner, technologist and room. The radiologist's reading is billed separately. The same code covers hip and ankle MRIs, so the price applies to those too.

Why prices vary

Knee MRIs are heavily shopped because they are common, elective and easy to compare. Within one metro area hospital prices commonly span four to eight times. Hospital-owned outpatient imaging centers and freestanding centers are the low end; teaching hospitals the high end. Orthopedic practices often have arrangements with a specific imaging center; you can still choose another.

Questions to ask

  • What is the self-pay price for 73721, scan only?
  • What is the radiologist's fee, and can my orthopedist read it instead?
  • Is the scanner strength (1.5T or 3T) the same at your cheaper location?

Hospitals in Los Angeles, CA without a price for this procedure

Listed so you know who to call. The reason is what we found on their website.

Questions people ask