MRI of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast in Slidell, LA costs $265 to $1,543. Here's every hospital's price.
2 hospitals in the Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA 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 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA metro area, 2 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the knee or other lower joint, no contrast (CPT 73721). The lowest is $265 at Our Lady of the Lake Surgical Hospital, the median is $265 and the highest is $1,543 at St Tammany Parish Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 5.8 times the cheapest for the same code.
The Slidell, LA median of $265 is 82% below the national median of $1,463 across 1332 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.
1 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $193 to $1,580. 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 March 2026 and October 2026. 3 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.
Sorted by cash price
Hospital facility fee onlySlidell · 15 mi · File Mar 2026
Covington · 10 mi · File Oct 2026
What's in the price
The hospital facility fee for CPT 73721. The doctor, anesthesia and lab work usually bill separately.
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.
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 Slidell, LA without a price for this procedure
Listed so you know who to call. The reason is what we found on their website.
- AvalaWebsite blocks automated reading
- Slidell Memorial HospitalWebsite blocks automated reading
- Sterling Surgical Hospitalcode not in file