Lower back MRI cost in Tampa, FL
In Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL, 32 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $1,292.90 to $18,414.99, with a median of $4,018.32. The lowest listed price is at Tampa General Hospital — $2,725.42 less than the median here. Across Florida, the median is $3,699.50 at 167 hospitals.
- The median here, $4,018.32, is 111% above the US median of $1,903.81.
- That is 16.5× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($243.77).
- Tampa, FL ranks 3rd of 4 metro areas in Florida by median, cheapest first.
- 19 of 32 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Cash prices at 32 facilities across 20 cities for code 72148, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Nov 5, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Sep 1, 2026.
Lowest$1,292.90Tampa General Hospital
Median$4,018.32half of hospitals charge less
Highest$18,414.99in this market
Difference14.2×highest vs lowest
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
median
Lowest $1,292.90Highest $18,414.99
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa General Hospital lowest Tampa, FL · (813) 844-7000 Hb Mri Lumbar Spine Wo Cont File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,292.90 | $3,694.00 | — | 65% |
| Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital Saint Petersburg, FL · (727) 823-1234 Hb Mri, Lumbar Spine - Mri Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,360.00 | $3,400.00 | — | 60% |
| Orlando Health Wiregrass Ranch Hospital Wesley Chapel, FL Hb Mri, Lumbar Spine - Mri Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $1,360.00 | $3,400.00 | — | 60% |
| H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Hospital Tampa, FL MRI-L-SPINE W/O CONTRAST+1 more line at this price File of Jul 10, 2026 · source file | $2,045.50 | $4,091.00 | $773.20–$4,091.00 | 50% |
| Morton Plant Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 462-7000 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| South Florida Baptist Hospital Plant City, FL · (813) 757-1200 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| Morton Plant NorthBay Hospital New Port Richey, FL · (727) 842-8468 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| BayCare Alliant Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $2,092.50–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| St. Joseph's Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 870-4398 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| Mease Dunedin Hospital Dunedin, FL · (727) 733-1111 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 914-1000 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| St Anthony's Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 825-1100 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| Mease Countryside Hospital Safety Harbor, FL · (727) 734-6950 MRI L SPINE W/O File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,511.00 | $4,185.00 | $753.30–$4,185.00 | 40% |
| AdventHealth Carrollwood Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,342.78 | $3,342.78 | — | — |
| AdventHealth Tampa Tampa, FL · (813) 615-7200 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,342.78 | $3,342.78 | — | — |
| AdventHealth Riverview Riverview, FL · (813) 929-5962 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $3,342.78 | $3,342.78 | — | — |
| AdventHealth Zephyrhills Zephyrhills, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $4,693.85 | $4,693.85 | — | — |
| AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Wesley Chapel, FL · (813) 929-5000 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $4,761.65 | $4,761.65 | — | — |
| AdventHealth Dade City Dade City, FL · (352) 568-1100 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $5,514.87 | $5,514.87 | — | — |
| AdventHealth North Pinellas Tarpon Springs, FL · (813) 615-7219 HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE File of Apr 1, 2026 · source file | $7,572.32 | $7,572.32 | — | — |
| HCA Florida Northside Hospital St Petersburg, FL · (727) 521-5121 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material UNSCHEDULED+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $8,012.91 | $8,012.91 | $376.61–$7,371.88 | — |
| HCA Florida Brandon Hospital Brandon, FL · (813) 916-0600 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material UNSCHEDULED+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $8,106.40 | $8,106.40 | $381.00–$7,457.89 | — |
| HCA Florida Bayonet Point Hospital Hudson, FL · (727) 819-2929 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material UNSCHEDULED+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $8,195.08 | $8,195.08 | $385.17–$7,539.47 | — |
| HCA Florida Trinity Hospital Tampa, FL · (727) 834-4900 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material +2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $8,714.32 | $8,714.32 | $409.57–$8,017.17 | — |
| HCA Florida West Tampa Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 873-6400 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material UNSCHEDULED+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $10,134.50 | $10,134.50 | $476.32–$9,323.74 | — |
| HCA Florida South Tampa Hospital Tampa, FL · (813) 873-6400 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material +2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $10,134.50 | $10,134.50 | $476.32–$9,323.74 | — |
| HCA Florida Oak Hill Hospital Brooksville, FL · (352) 596-6632 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material UNSCHEDULED+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $12,087.00 | $12,087.00 | $517.79–$11,120.04 | — |
| HCA Florida Largo West Hospital Largo, FL · (727) 588-5200 MRI L-SPINE W/O CONT+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $15,710.54 | $15,710.54 | $517.79–$14,453.70 | — |
| HCA Florida Largo Hospital Clearwater, FL · (727) 588-5200 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material +2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $15,710.54 | $15,710.54 | $517.79–$14,453.70 | — |
| HCA Florida South Shore Hospital Apollo Beach, FL · (813) 634-3301 Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material +2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $17,373.43 | $17,373.43 | $816.55–$15,983.56 | — |
| HCA Florida Pasadena Hospital South Pasadena, FL · (727) 381-1000 MRI L-SPINE W/O CONT+1 more line at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $18,414.99 | $18,414.99 | $517.79–$16,941.79 | — |
| HCA Florida St. Petersburg Hospital St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 384-1414 MRI L-SPINE W/O CONT+2 more lines at this price File of Sep 1, 2026 · source file | $18,414.99 | $18,414.99 | $517.79–$16,941.79 | — |
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.
No cash discount This line's cash price equals the hospital's full list price. Many hospitals still reduce bills for uninsured patients: ask the billing office for its self-pay discount in writing. More
Independent clinics in Tampa, FL
Prices published by the clinics themselves, not from a hospital price file. They are not part of the hospital median or the lowest price above.
| Clinic | Cash price |
|---|---|
| Excel Medical Imaging Imaging center · St. Petersburg, FL · (727) 841-8212 General MRIs without contrast — regular price $349 (a $299 promotion was listed on Oct 1, 2026) Checked Oct 1, 2026 · clinic's price page | $349.00 |
Outpatient: lowest $1,292.90, median $4,018.32, highest $18,414.99 — a 14.2× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 20 facilities here, median $2,511.00. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 10 of 22 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 lower back MRI is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Lower back MRI explained.