Neck MRI with contrast cost in Des Moines, IA — inpatient
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, 4 hospitals list a cash price for MRI of the neck (cervical spine) without and with contrast as an inpatient: from $945.60 to $8,073.00, with a median of $4,048.20. The lowest listed price is at UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical — $3,102.60 less than the median here. Across Iowa, the median is $2,361.60 at 35 hospitals.
Cash prices at 4 facilities across 3 cities for code 72156, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 28, 2026 and Mar 31, 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 PR MRI, CERV SPINE COMBO | $945.60 | $1,182.00 | $291.73–$1,229.03 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical lowest Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 PR MRI, CERV SPINE COMBO | $945.60 | $1,182.00 | $291.73–$1,229.03 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center - Newton Newton, IA · (641) 792-1273 HC MRI Cervival Spine W/O & W/Contrast | $3,764.80 | $5,792.00 | $330.23–$5,792.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center Des Moines, IA · (515) 247-4436 HC MRI Cervival Spine W/O & W/Contrast | $4,331.60 | $6,664.00 | $329.29–$6,664.00 | 35% | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 HC MRI SPINE CERVICAL W WO CONTRAST | $5,066.23 | $6,332.78 | $2,742.09 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| UnityPoint Health - Des Moines Iowa Methodist Medical Des Moines, IA · (515) 343-1000 HC MRI SPINE CERVICAL W WO CONTRAST | $5,066.23 | $6,332.78 | $2,742.09 | 20% | Jan 28, 2026 source file |
| Catholic Health Initiatives-Iowa West Des Moines, IA HC MRI Cervival Spine W/O & W/Contrast | $8,073.00 | $8,073.00 | $329.29–$8,073.00 | — | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $945.60, median $4,048.20, highest $8,073.00 — a 8.5× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 4 facilities here, median $4,048.20 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 3 of 4 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
This MRI of the cervical spine is done without and then with contrast dye. Contrast helps after spine surgery and with tumors, infections and multiple sclerosis.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the scan and the contrast dye. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.