Lower back MRI cost in Columbus, GA — inpatient
In Columbus, GA-AL, 2 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye as an inpatient: from $1,318.96 to $1,318.96, with a median of $1,318.96. The lowest listed price is at Piedmont Columbus Regional - Midtown and 1 other hospital. Across Georgia, the median is $1,775.67 at 83 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities for code 72148, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 29, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jul 1, 2026 and Jul 1, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Columbus, GA-AL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Columbus Regional - Midtown lowest Columbus, GA · (706) 571-1000 HC MRI Lumb Spine WO Cntrst | $1,318.96 | $4,396.55 | $360.71–$3,737.07 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Piedmont Columbus Regional - Northside lowest Columbus, GA · (706) 494-2101 HC MRI Lumb Spine WO Cntrst | $1,318.96 | $4,396.55 | $360.71–$3,737.07 | 70% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $1,318.96, median $1,318.96, highest $1,318.96.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $1,318.96 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it below every plan's rate. 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 lower back uses a magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures of the lumbar spine, including discs, nerves and the spinal canal. It is commonly ordered for back pain that spreads down the leg, numbness or weakness. No contrast dye is used.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the scan. The radiologist's interpretation is often billed separately.