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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Phoenix, AZ costs $280 to $833. Here's every hospital's price.

13 hospitals in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ metro area, 13 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $280 at Banner Boswell Medical Center, the median is $346 and the highest is $833 at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center. The most expensive hospital lists 3.0 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Phoenix, AZ median of $346 is 76% 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 $73 to $4,431. 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 May 2026. 28 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.

$280
lowest cash price in Phoenix, AZ
Banner Boswell Medical Center · 31 mi
$65 below the median
$346
median cash price
13 hospitals
3.0×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
13/42
hospitals with a cash price
28 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Banner Boswell Medical Center

Sun City · 31 mi · File Mar 2026

$280
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
2
Banner Ironwood Medical Center

Queen Creek · 29 mi · File Mar 2026

$283
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
3
Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center

Sun City West · 37 mi · File Mar 2026

$302
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
4
Banner Baywood Medical Center

Mesa · 27 mi · File Mar 2026

$305
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
5
Banner Estrella Medical Center

Phoenix · 23 mi · File Mar 2026

$309
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
6
Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

Casa Grande · 30 mi · File Mar 2026

$319
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
7
Banner Ocotillo Medical Center

Chandler · 14 mi · File Mar 2026

$346
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
8
Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix

Phoenix · 19 mi · File Mar 2026

$348
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
9
Banner Gateway Medical Center

Gilbert · 24 mi · File May 2026

$392
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
10
Banner Thunderbird Medical Center

Glendale · 30 mi · File Mar 2026

$421
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
11
Banner Desert Medical Center

Mesa · 18 mi · File Mar 2026

$459
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 lines
12
Banner Heart Hospital

Mesa · 27 mi · File Mar 2026

$640
list $2,417 · lowest of 4 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 Phoenix, AZ 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