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PricedCare

MRI of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast in Riverside, CA costs $305 to $10,243. Here's every hospital's price.

14 hospitals in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, 14 hospitals list a cash price for mri of the lower back (lumbar spine), no contrast (CPT 72148). The lowest is $305 at Chino Valley Medical Center, the median is $2,496 and the highest is $10,243 at Riverside University Health System-Medical Center. The most expensive hospital lists 34 times the cheapest for the same code.

The Riverside, CA median of $2,496 is 74% above the national median of $1,435 across 555 US hospitals with a cash price for this code.

14 of these hospitals also publish the rates they negotiated with insurers, from $126 to $21,436. 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 February 2026 and September 2026. 20 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 Riverside, CA
Chino Valley Medical Center · 95 mi
$2,191 below the median
$2,496
median cash price
14 hospitals
34×
highest ÷ lowest
same procedure, same metro
14/34
hospitals with a cash price
20 don't · see who

Sorted by cash price

Hospital facility fee only
1
Chino Valley Medical Center

Chino · 95 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,379
2
Desert Valley Hospital

Victorville · 66 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $4,234
3
Montclair Hospital Medical Center

Montclair · 95 mi · File Sep 2026

$305
list $6,379
4
Providence St Mary Medical Center

Apple Valley · 57 mi · File Apr 2026

$996
list $2,076 · lowest of 22 lines
5
San Antonio Regional Hospital

Upland · 91 mi · File Apr 2026

$1,461
list $11,666
6
St Bernardine Medical Center

San Bernardino · 71 mi · File Feb 2026

$2,166
list $6,505 · lowest of 4 lines
7
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Fontana/Ontario

Fontana · 81 mi · File Apr 2026

$2,496
list $4,800 · lowest of 2 lines
8
Loma Linda University Children's Hospital

Loma Linda · 73 mi · File Sep 2026

$2,758
list $6,129 · lowest of 4 lines
9
Victor Valley Global Medical Center

Victorville · 66 mi · File May 2026

$3,563
list $3,563 · lowest of 4 lines
10
Hemet Global Medical Center

Hemet · 72 mi · File Jun 2026

$4,316
list $4,316 · lowest of 2 lines
11
Menifee Global Medical Center

Sun City · 82 mi · File May 2026

$4,316
list $4,316 · lowest of 4 lines
12
Loma Linda University Medical Center

Loma Linda · 73 mi · File Sep 2026

$4,753
list $10,563 · 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 Riverside, 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