Breast MRI, both breasts cost in Hickory, NC
In Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for MRI of both breasts, without and then with contrast dye (both sides): from $3,573.35 to $3,573.35, with a median of $3,573.35. Across North Carolina, the median is $4,774.56 at 14 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 77049, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frye Regional Medical Center both sides Hickory, NC · (828) 322-6070 MRI BREAST C-+ W/CAD BI | $3,573.35 | $8,933.38 | $427.78–$3,618.02 | 60% | — source file |
Both sides : lowest $3,573.35, median $3,573.35, highest $3,573.35.
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
A breast MRI takes pictures of both breasts before and after contrast dye is injected into a vein, and the code includes computer-aided analysis of the images. It is used to screen women at high risk of breast cancer and to check the extent of a cancer that has already been found.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers the imaging of both breasts and the computer analysis; the contrast agent may appear as a separate line. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately.