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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Indianapolis, IN costs $538 to $3,475. Here's every hospital's price.

11 hospitals in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN metro area, 11 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $538 at Hendricks Regional Health, the median is $1,296 and the highest is $3,475 at Johnson Memorial Hospital. The most expensive hospital lists 6.5 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Indianapolis, IN median of $1,296 is 9% below the national median of $1,426 across 546 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

10 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $117 to $8,915. 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 July 2026. 15 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.

$538
lowest cash price in Indianapolis, IN
Hendricks Regional Health · 21 mi
$758 below the median
$1,296
median cash price
11 hospitals
6.5×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
11/26
hospitals with a cash price
15 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Hendricks Regional Health

Danville · 21 mi · File May 2026

$538
list $1,345
2
Ascension St Vincent Anderson

Anderson · 32 mi · File Jan 2026

$583
list $971 · lowest of 2 lines
3
St Vincent Heart Center

Carmel · 10 mi · File Jan 2026

$583
list $971 · lowest of 2 lines
4
Ascension St Vincent Carmel

Carmel · 13 mi · File Jan 2026

$583
list $971 · lowest of 3 lines
5
Ascension St Vincent Fishers

Fishers · 15 mi · File Jan 2026

$583
list $971 · lowest of 3 lines
6
Riverview Health

Noblesville · 18 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,296
list $2,160
7
Ascension St Vincent Mercy

Elwood · 37 mi · File Jan 2026

$1,792
list $2,986 · lowest of 2 lines
8
Eskenazi Health

Indianapolis · 3 mi · File Mar 2026

$1,981
list $2,201 · lowest of 2 lines
9
Hancock Regional Hospital

Greenfield · 19 mi · File Jul 2026

$2,272
list $2,840
10
Witham Health Services

Lebanon · 25 mi · File Mar 2026

$2,496
list $3,566
11
Johnson Memorial Hospital

Franklin · 22 mi · File May 2026

$3,475
list $4,344
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 Indianapolis, IN 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