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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Austin, TX costs $784 to $2,198. Here's every hospital's price.

12 hospitals in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area publish a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). We read their files every month so you don't have to.

Across the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX metro area, 12 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $784 at Ascension Seton Edgar B Davis, the median is $1,144 and the highest is $2,198 at Ascension Seton Cedar Park. The most expensive hospital lists 2.8 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Austin, TX median of $1,144 is 20% below the national median of $1,426 across 546 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

14 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $156 to $3,099. 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 January 2026 and June 2026. 10 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.

$784
lowest cash price in Austin, TX
Ascension Seton Edgar B Davis · 40 mi
$360 below the median
$1,144
median cash price
12 hospitals
2.8×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
12/24
hospitals with a cash price
10 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Ascension Seton Edgar B Davis

Luling · 40 mi · File Jan 2026

$784
list $2,179 · lowest of 2 lines
2
Ascension Seton Hays

Kyle · 21 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,090
list $3,027 · lowest of 4 lines
3
Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin

Austin · 7 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,144
list $3,179 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Ascension Seton Southwest

Austin · 14 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,144
list $3,179 · lowest of 2 lines
5
Ascension Seton Northwest

Austin · 12 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,144
list $3,179 · lowest of 2 lines
6
Ascension Seton Smithville

Smithville · 35 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,144
list $3,179 · lowest of 4 lines
7
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center -Taylor

Taylor · 28 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,066
list $3,443 · lowest of 2 lines
8
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Round Rock

Round Rock · 22 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,066
list $3,443 · lowest of 14 lines
9
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Pflugerville

Pflugerville · 14 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,066
list $3,443 · lowest of 2 lines
10
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Buda

Buda · 16 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,066
list $3,443 · lowest of 14 lines
11
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center- Austin

Austin · 11 mi · File Jun 2026

$2,066
list $3,443 · lowest of 22 lines
12
Ascension Seton Cedar Park

Cedar Park · 22 mi · File Jan 2026

$2,198
list $6,106 · lowest of 2 lines
1

What's in the price

The hospital facility fee for CPT 72148. 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 72148, in writing, and whether it covers facility, physician and anesthesia."

About mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast

CPT 72148 is an MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast. It is the standard imaging test for sciatica, suspected disc herniation and lower-back pain that has not improved after several weeks. It takes 20 to 40 minutes.

What the price covers

The hospital's price is the technical fee: scanner, technologist, room. The radiologist's reading is billed separately. Contrast studies use a different code.

Do you need it?

Most guidelines advise against MRI for uncomplicated back pain in the first six weeks, because the findings rarely change treatment. If your doctor orders one early, it is reasonable to ask why. When it is needed, it is worth shopping: the same scan varies several times in price within one city.

Why prices vary

Hospital main campuses list the highest prices; hospital-owned outpatient imaging centers list lower; freestanding imaging centers, which are not in these files, are often the cheapest. Cash prices at hospitals frequently undercut the negotiated insurance rate.

Questions to ask

  • What is the self-pay price for 72148, scan only?
  • What does the radiologist charge for the reading?
  • Is the same scanner quality available at your outpatient site for less?

Hospitals in Austin, TX 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