Scans and imaging CPT 70551 Inpatient — admitted to hospital

Brain MRI cost in Elberton, GA — inpatient

In Elberton, GA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of the brain, no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $321.20 to $321.20, with a median of $321.20. Across Georgia, the median is $1,377.23 at 86 hospitals.

Cash prices at 1 facility for code 70551, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.

Lowest$321.20Elbert Memorial Hospital
Median$321.20half of hospitals charge less
Highest$321.20in this market
Difference1.0×highest vs lowest

Hospitals, cheapest first

HospitalCash priceList priceInsurers payOff list
Elbert Memorial Hospital Elberton, GA · (706) 213-2535 MRI BRAIN WO CONTRAST source file $321.20 $803.00 $289.99–$783.00 60%
Hospital The hospital that published the price, its city and the line exactly as written in its price file.
Cash price The hospital's own price for a patient paying without insurance (“discounted cash” in its price file). Hospitals must publish it under federal law, 45 CFR 180.50. Call to confirm it before booking. More
List price The hospital's full chargemaster price (“gross charge”) before any discount. Almost nobody pays it; the gap to the cash price shows what the self-pay discount is worth. More
Insurers pay The lowest and highest rates this hospital has agreed with insurance plans for the same item, from its price file. If the cash price is below what your plan pays and you have not met your deductible, paying cash can cost you less. More
Off list How much lower the cash price is than the list price.

Inpatient: lowest $321.20, median $321.20, highest $321.20.

As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $321.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.

Cash or insurance?

At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.

What it is

An MRI of the brain uses a strong magnet and radio waves, not X-rays, to make detailed pictures of the brain and brain stem. It is used to look into headaches, seizures, dizziness, numbness or other nerve symptoms. This version is done without contrast dye.

What the price covers

The hospital price usually covers the scan itself. The radiologist's interpretation is often billed separately, and sedation, if needed, is extra.