MRI Scan of Middle Spinal Canal without Contrast Cost in Iowa
What this costs without insurance: real self-pay cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates at 63 Iowa hospitals. CPT 72146. Sourced directly from each facility's CMS-mandated transparency file. Dataset: Q4 2026.
📊 Median $2,118
📉 Low $167
📈 High $4,562
🏥 63 hospitals
🏛️ 51 with insurance contracts
🇺🇸 Medicare $177
Hospital comparison — Iowa
Sorted by cash price (lowest first). Showing top 60 of 63 hospitals.
Billed more than $2,118 for this? That gap is evidence.
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| Hospital | Cash | UHC | Humana | Aetna | BCBS | Molina | Cigna | MultiPlan | Centene |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREATER REGIONAL HEALTH W TOWNLINE ST CRESTON |
$167 | $59.00 | $64.00 | $63.00 | $64.00 | $59.00 | $89.00 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH MARSHALLTOWN MARSHALLTOWN |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTHCARE FINLEY HOSPITAL DUBUQUE |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER GRINNELL |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY BETTENDORF |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | — | $137 | — | $64.86 |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH ST. LUKE'S SIOUX CITY |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH BLANK CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL DES MOINES |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY MUSCATINE MUSCATINE |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $64.86 | — | $137 | — | $64.86 |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH JONES REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER ANAMOSA |
$175 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $64.86 | $66.16 | — | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH TRINITY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER FORT DODGE |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | — | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH IOWA LUTHERAN HOSPITAL DES MOINES |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH ALLEN HOSPITAL WATERLOO |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| UNITYPOINT HEALTH ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL CEDAR RAPIDS |
$175 | $68.10 | $68.10 | $64.86 | $66.16 | $66.16 | $137 | — | — |
| FLOYD VALLEY HOSPITAL LE MARS |
$190 | $85.30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| HEGG HEALTH CENTER ROCK VALLEY |
$322 | $85.30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| RINGGOLD COUNTY HOSPITAL MT AYR |
$400 | — | $57.00 | $57.00 | — | — | — | — | — |
| SIOUX CENTER HEALTH AVERA SIOUX CENTER |
$432 | $85.30 | — | — | $143 | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE NORTH IOWA MASON CITY |
$1,034 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SPENCER HOSPITAL SPENCER |
$1,234 | — | — | — | — | $1.00 | — | — | — |
| GREENE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER JEFFERSON |
$1,292 | $69.00 | $52.00 | $52.00 | — | $51.00 | — | — | $52.00 |
| LORING HOSPITAL SAC CITY |
$1,393 | $95.00 | $77.00 | $77.00 | — | $89.00 | $96.00 | — | — |
| BUENA VISTA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER TH ST STORM LAKE |
$1,403 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $53.00 | — | $90.00 | — | $53.00 |
| CHI HEALTH MERCY COUNCIL BLUFFS COUNCIL BLUFFS |
$1,562 | $236 | $236 | — | $236 | $234 | — | $2,640 | $230 |
| GRUNDY COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL GRUNDY CENTER |
$1,626 | $54.00 | $54.00 | $2,033 | $54.00 | $56.00 | $95.00 | — | — |
| CHEROKEE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER CHEROKEE |
$1,772 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $53.00 | $55.00 | $100 | — | — |
| HUMBOLDT COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HUMBOLDT |
$1,814 | $96.00 | $77.84 | $71.00 | $77.84 | $77.84 | $75.00 | $75.00 | — |
| BURGESS HEALTH CENTER ONAWA |
$1,876 | $51.00 | $51.00 | $100 | $51.00 | — | — | — | — |
| LAKES REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SPIRIT LAKE |
$1,888 | $76.20 | — | — | $155 | — | — | — | — |
| STEWART MEMORIAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL LAKE CITY |
$1,928 | $52.00 | $52.00 | $50.00 | — | $52.00 | $66.00 | $50.00 | — |
| LUCAS COUNTY HEALTH CENTER CHARITON |
$1,980 | $1,210 | $1,210 | $1,210 | — | $1,540 | — | — | — |
| HAWARDEN REGIONAL HEALTHCARE HARWARDEN |
$1,997 | $1,186 | — | — | $1,186 | — | — | — | — |
| BROADLAWNS MEDICAL CENTER DES MOINES |
$2,118 | $239 | — | $239 | — | — | $191 | — | — |
| CHI HEALTH MERCY CORNING CORNING |
$2,199 | $1,970 | $1,970 | — | $1,970 | $2,049 | — | $4,490 | $2,010 |
| POCAHONTAS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL POCAHONTAS |
$2,209 | $96.00 | $95.00 | $60.00 | $64.00 | $50.00 | $97.00 | — | — |
| CLARKE COUNTY PUBLIC HOSPITAL OSCEOLA |
$2,234 | $74.59 | $74.59 | $74.59 | $74.59 | $77.03 | $2,143 | — | — |
| CHI HEALTH MISSOURI VALLEY MISSOURI VALLEY |
$2,245 | $1,604 | $1,604 | — | $4,135 | $2,049 | — | $4,490 | $1,636 |
| OTTUMWA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER PENNSYLVANIA AVE OTTUMWA |
$2,316 | $230 | — | — | $798 | $231 | — | — | — |
| PALO ALTO COUNTY HOSPITAL EMMETSBURG |
$2,320 | $48.00 | $48.00 | — | $48.00 | $60.00 | — | — | — |
| COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SUMNER |
$2,345 | $58.80 | $63.00 | $63.00 | $49.00 | $61.00 | — | — | — |
| DALLAS COUNTY HOSPITAL PERRY |
$2,422 | $1,714 | $1,680 | $1,680 | — | $1,900 | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE DES MOINES MEDICAL CENTER DES MOINES |
$2,478 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE ELKADER MEDICAL CENTER ELKADER |
$2,552 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE OELWEIN MEDICAL CENTER OELWEIN |
$2,552 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE NEWTON MEDICAL CENTER NEWTON |
$2,552 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE NEW HAMPTON NEW HAMPTON |
$2,552 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GUTTENBERG MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL GUTTENBERG |
$2,659 | $52.00 | $52.52 | $52.00 | — | $52.52 | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE CLINTON CLINTON |
$2,718 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER MANCHESTER |
$2,786 | $37.70 | — | $34.34 | — | — | $88.03 | $95.00 | — |
| STORY COUNTY HOSPITAL NORTH NEVADA |
$2,840 | $61.00 | $61.00 | $61.00 | $61.00 | $3,550 | — | — | — |
| JACKSON COUNTY REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER MAQUOKETA |
$2,886 | $1,587 | $1,472 | $2,421 | $641 | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE DUBUQUE DUBUQUE |
$2,916 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| BUCHANAN COUNTY HEALTH CENTER INDEPENDENCE |
$3,007 | $38.00 | $36.00 | $38.00 | $36.00 | $35.00 | $83.00 | — | — |
| SANFORD SHELDON MEDICAL CENTER SHELDON |
$3,045 | $1,176 | — | $1,176 | $1,176 | — | — | $3,425 | — |
| MERCYONE CEDAR FALLS MEDICAL CENTER CEDAR FALLS |
$3,125 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE WATERLOO MEDICAL CENTER WATERLOO |
$3,125 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PELLA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER PELLA |
$3,167 | $548 | $75.00 | $1,203 | $1,203 | $1,108 | — | $2,217 | — |
| OSCEOLA REGIONAL HEALTH CENTER SIBLEY |
$3,170 | $85.30 | — | — | $10.00 | — | — | — | — |
| COMPASS MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE BOX 228 |
$3,284 | $2,857 | $2,463 | $180 | — | — | — | — | — |
| REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICES OF HOWARD COUNTY CRESCO |
$3,370 | $73.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MERCYONE CENTERVILLE MEDICAL CENTER CENTERVILLE |
$3,926 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
What these prices are. Each figure is the facility’s own published self-pay (cash) price for CPT 72146, 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: $1,990 across all reporting facilities. Dataset: Q4 2026. Always confirm the final price with the facility before booking.
Billed more than $2,118 for this?
That is the median of what the 63 Iowa hospitals above publish for Mri scan of middle spinal canal without contrast — their own figures, filed under federal law. A bill well above them is evidence you can put in writing.
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Medicare reimbursement benchmark
For CPT 72146 in Iowa, Medicare reimburses about $177 on the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule (non-facility, state average across localities). Hospital cash prices for the same code in Iowa range from $167 to $4,562 — that means hospital cash prices are typically 12.0x 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 middle spinal canal without contrast cost in Iowa?
- Cash prices for mri scan of middle spinal canal without contrast (CPT 72146) in Iowa range from $167 to $4,562, with a median of $2,118. Prices vary widely by hospital.
- Where can I find the cheapest mri scan of middle spinal canal without contrast in Iowa?
- The cheapest Iowa hospital published cash price for this procedure is $167. 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 middle spinal canal without contrast in nearby states
Other procedures in Iowa
Methodology. Cash prices and insurance-negotiated rates published by each Iowa facility under federal price transparency rules (45 CFR § 180). CPT code 72146 (Imaging). Data refreshed regularly; verify with the facility before any procedure.