MRI Scan of Lower Spinal Canal Before and After Contrast Cost in Alabama
What this costs without insurance: real self-pay cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates at 42 Alabama hospitals. CPT 72158. Sourced directly from each facility's CMS-mandated transparency file. Dataset: Q4 2026.
📊 Median $1,730
📉 Low $54.17
📈 High $15,450
🏥 42 hospitals
🏛️ 36 with insurance contracts
🇺🇸 Medicare $286
Hospital comparison — Alabama
Sorted by cash price (lowest first). Showing top 42 of 42 hospitals.
Billed more than $1,730 for this? That gap is evidence.
Build my dispute letter
| Hospital | Cash | Aetna | UHC | Humana | BCBS | Centene | Cigna | Devoted | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WASHINGTON COUNTY HOSPITAL CHATOM |
$54.17 | $483 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NORTH MISSISSIPPI MEDICAL CENTER HAMILTON HAMILTON |
$85.05 | $313 | — | — | — | — | $585 | — | — |
| RED BAY HOSPITAL RED BAY |
$102 | $26.52 | $32.42 | $25.50 | $26.52 | $29.17 | $25.50 | $26.79 | $26.52 |
| ELMORE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL WETUMPKA |
$120 | — | $100 | $100 | $750 | — | — | — | — |
| RIVERVIEW REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER GADSDEN |
$311 | — | $311 | $296 | $311 | — | $311 | $318 | $311 |
| LAKELAND COMMUNITY HOSPITAL HALEYVILLE |
$312 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| USA HEALTH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL MOBILE |
$335 | $318 | $285 | $318 | $312 | $318 | $318 | $318 | — |
| USA HEALTH CHILDREN'S AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL MOBILE |
$335 | $318 | $285 | $318 | $312 | $318 | $615 | $318 | — |
| JACKSON HOSPITAL MONTGOMERY |
$346 | $30.00 | $958 | $746 | — | $746 | $703 | — | $746 |
| EAST ALABAMA MEDICAL CENTER OPELIKA |
$474 | $99.82 | — | $99.82 | $99.82 | — | $99.82 | — | — |
| LAKE MARTIN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL DADEVILLE |
$638 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATHENS LIMESTONE HOSPITAL ATHENS |
$778 | $126 | $130 | — | $126 | $126 | $126 | $326 | — |
| NORTH ALABAMA MEDICAL CENTER VETRANS DRIVE FLORENCE |
$1,096 | $332 | $322 | $342 | $220 | $424 | — | — | — |
| NORTH ALABAMA SHOALS HOSPITAL W AVALAON AVE MUSCLE SHOALS |
$1,096 | $332 | $322 | $342 | $220 | $424 | — | — | — |
| SOUTHEAST HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER DOTHAN |
$1,166 | $82.00 | $334 | $334 | $334 | $334 | $65.00 | — | — |
| MONROE COUNTY HOSPITAL MONROEVILLE |
$1,189 | — | $316 | $316 | $316 | — | $277 | — | $280 |
| GROVE HILL MEMORIAL HOSPITAL GROVE HILL |
$1,326 | $322 | $322 | $322 | — | — | $1,658 | — | — |
| EVERGREEN MEDICAL CENTER EVERGREEN |
$1,428 | — | — | $314 | — | — | — | — | $314 |
| CHILDREN'S OF ALABAMA BENJAMIN RUSSELL HOSPITAL BIRMINGHAM |
$1,565 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CHILDREN'S OF ALABAMA CHILDREN'S SOUTH HOSPITAL BIRMINGHAM |
$1,565 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| RUSSELLVILLE HOSPITAL RUSSELLVILLE |
$1,641 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| COOSA VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER SYLACAUGA |
$1,709 | $356 | $356 | $7,119 | $7,119 | — | — | $367 | — |
| CLAY COUNTY HOSPITAL ASHLAND |
$1,730 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SPRINGHILL MEDICAL CENTER MOBILE |
$2,090 | $100 | $100 | — | $97.00 | $100 | — | $100 | — |
| OCHSNER CHOCTAW GENERAL BUTLER |
$2,205 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATRIUM HEALTH FLOYD CHEROKEE MEDICAL CENTER CENTRE |
$2,416 | $352 | $352 | $352 | $342 | $359 | $317 | — | — |
| MARSHALL MEDICAL CENTER SOUTH BOAZ |
$2,462 | $307 | $308 | — | $301 | $601 | $301 | $310 | — |
| MARSHALL MEDICAL CENTER NORTH GUNTERSVILLE |
$2,462 | $307 | $308 | — | $301 | $601 | $301 | $310 | — |
| CULLMAN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CULLMAN |
$2,843 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ATMORE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL ATMORE |
$2,932 | $308 | $308 | $308 | $308 | — | — | — | — |
| D. W. MCMILLAN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL BREWTON |
$2,932 | $308 | $308 | $308 | $308 | — | — | — | — |
| JACKSON MEDICAL CENTER JACKSON |
$3,565 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| HELEN KELLER HOSPITAL SHEFFIELD |
$4,109 | $123 | $123 | $75.17 | $120 | $120 | $121 | $124 | $120 |
| DECATUR MORGAN HOSPITAL BELTLINE RD SW DECATUR |
$4,366 | $324 | $326 | $318 | $318 | $350 | $328 | $328 | — |
| DECATUR MORGAN HOSPITAL WEST DECATUR |
$4,366 | $324 | $326 | $318 | $318 | $350 | $328 | $328 | — |
| HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN HUNTSVILLE |
$4,974 | $127 | $127 | $81.11 | $127 | $127 | $127 | $127 | $127 |
| HUNTSVILLE HOSPITAL MADISON |
$4,974 | $127 | $127 | $81.11 | $127 | $127 | $127 | $127 | $127 |
| BAPTIST HEALTH BROOKWOOD HOSPITAL BIRMINGHAM |
$14,343 | $319 | $331 | $316 | — | $574 | — | — | — |
| BAPTIST HEALTH WALKER HOSPITAL JASPER |
$15,450 | $308 | $331 | $305 | — | $555 | — | — | — |
| BAPTIST HEALTH PRINCETON HOSPITAL BIRMINGHAM |
$15,450 | $319 | $331 | $316 | — | $574 | — | — | — |
| BAPTIST HEALTH SHELBY HOSPITAL NORTH |
$15,450 | $319 | $331 | $316 | — | $574 | — | — | — |
| BAPTIST HEALTH CITIZENS HOSPITAL TALLADEGA |
$15,450 | $313 | $331 | $310 | — | $563 | — | — | — |
What these prices are. Each figure is the facility’s own published self-pay (cash) price for CPT 72158, filed under the federal price transparency rule (45 CFR Part 180). Hospital facility charges may not include separate physician, anesthesia, or pathology fees. National median for this code: $2,800 across all reporting facilities. Dataset: Q4 2026. Always confirm the final price with the facility before booking.
Billed more than $1,730 for this?
That is the median of what the 42 Alabama hospitals above publish for Mri scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast — their own figures, filed under federal law. A bill well above them is evidence you can put in writing.
Build my dispute letter — freeNo account, no signup. Your bill never leaves your browser.
Medicare reimbursement benchmark
For CPT 72158 in Alabama, Medicare reimburses about $286 on the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (non-facility, state average across localities). Hospital cash prices for the same code in Alabama range from $54.17 to $15,450 — that means hospital cash prices are typically 6.0x what Medicare pays. If a self-pay quote you receive is more than 2-3x the Medicare rate, ask the hospital for the cash-discount price in writing.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does mri scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast cost in Alabama?
- Cash prices for mri scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast (CPT 72158) in Alabama range from $54.17 to $15,450, with a median of $1,730. Prices vary widely by hospital.
- Where can I find the cheapest mri scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast in Alabama?
- The cheapest Alabama hospital published cash price for this procedure is $54.17. Use the table above sorted by cash price to find the lowest-priced facility near you.
- Are these the prices I'll pay?
- These are the rates hospitals publish. Final price depends on your insurance, deductible, and the specific services billed. Always confirm with the facility and your insurer before any procedure.
- Why do prices vary so much between hospitals?
- Hospitals set cash prices independently, and insurance contracts negotiate different rates per payer. Two facilities a few miles apart can charge 5-10x different prices for the same procedure.
- Where does this data come from?
- Federal law (45 CFR § 180) requires hospitals to publish their pricing in a machine-readable file. We aggregate these files and republish in a consumer-friendly format.
Mri scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast in nearby states
Other procedures in Alabama
Methodology. Cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates published by each Alabama facility under federal price transparency rules (45 CFR § 180). CPT code 72158 (Imaging). Data refreshed regularly; verify with the facility before any procedure.