Lower back MRI cost in Kentucky
In Kentucky, 76 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye: from $565.18 to $16,922.09, with a median of $1,725.03. The lowest price is at Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville (Madisonville). The highest price is 29.9× the lowest.
- The median here, $1,725.03, is 9% below the US median of $1,902.72.
- That is 7.1× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($243.77).
- Kentucky ranks 20th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
- 5 of 76 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72148. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 9, 2026. See them on a map
Lowest$565.18Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville
Median$1,725.03half of hospitals charge less
Highest$16,922.09in Kentucky
Lowest saves$1,159.85vs the median
Hospitals in Kentucky, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville lowest Madisonville · Madisonville, KY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $565.18 | $4,347.48 | Feb 3, 2026 source file |
| Deaconess Henderson Hospital Henderson · Henderson, KY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $614.10 | $2,047.00 | Feb 9, 2026 source file |
| Harrison Memorial Hospital Cynthiana · Cynthiana, KY MRI SCAN OF LOWER SPINAL CANAL WITHOUT CONTRAST | $642.25 | $917.50 | Mar 31, 2026 source file |
| Ohio County Hospital Hartford · Hartford, KY MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CM | $656.50 | $1,313.00 | Jan 12, 2026 source file |
| Saint Joseph East Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY HC MR Spine Lumbar | $823.84 | $1,962.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Continuing Care Hospital Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY HC MRIG LIMITED LUMBAR | $835.37 | $1,884.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Saint Joseph Health - Saint Joseph Jessamine Nicholasville · Lexington-Fayette, KY HC MR Spine Lumbar | $894.72 | $1,668.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Deaconess Union County Hospital Morganfield · Morganfield, KY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $962.09 | $2,047.00 | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| St Elizabeth Edgewood Edgewood · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONT | $970.62 | $970.62 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Saint Joseph Mount Sterling Mt. Sterling · Mount Sterling, KY HC Mrig Limited Lumbar | $977.87 | $2,589.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Saint Joseph Hospital Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY HC MR Spine Lumbar | $978.29 | $2,060.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| CHI Saint Joseph Berea Nf Berea · Richmond-Berea, KY HC Mrig Limited Lumbar | $1,024.72 | $2,115.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Saint Joseph London London · Corbin, KY HC Mrig Limited Lumbar | $1,053.05 | $3,001.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| Wayne County Hospital Monticello · Monticello, KY MRI LUMBAR WO | $1,142.83 | $1,758.20 | Sep 14, 2026 source file |
| Norton Audubon Hospital Louisville · Louisville, KY HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Brownsboro Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Children's Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton West Louisville Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 11, 2026 source file |
| Norton Women's and Kosair Children's Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HB MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTR | $1,189.60 | $5,948.00 | Feb 13, 2026 source file |
| Saints Mary & Elizabeth Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $1,209.60 | $3,360.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| University of Louisville Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $1,228.32 | $5,118.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Jennie Stuart Medical Center Hopkinsville · Clarksville, TN-KY HC MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,230.76 | $3,970.18 | Feb 12, 2026 source file |
| The Medical Center at Bowling Green Bowling Green · Bowling Green, KY MRI-L SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,252.80 | $2,088.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UofL Health-Louisville – South Hospital Shepherdville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $1,262.70 | $2,806.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| CHI Saint Joseph Flaget Memorial Hospital Bardstown · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN HC Mrig Limited Lumbar | $1,266.42 | $3,001.00 | Sep 30, 2026 source file |
| St Claire Medical Center Morehead · Morehead, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $1,302.75 | $1,737.00 | Jun 18, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital Paducah · Paducah, KY-IL HC MRI-Spine Lumbar WO Contrast | $1,318.80 | $2,198.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Fleming County Hospital Flemingsburg · Flemingsburg, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $1,329.43 | $3,323.57 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| UofL Health -Shelbyville Shelbyville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $1,336.84 | $3,518.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services Salem · Paducah, KY-IL MRI Spine Lumbar w/o Contrast | $1,460.85 | $2,434.75 | Aug 25, 2026 source file |
| The Medical Center at Caverna Horse Cave · Horse Cave, KY MRI-L SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,473.60 | $2,456.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UofL Health - Jewish Hospital and Mary & Elizabeth Hospital Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI LUMBAR WO CONTRAST | $1,485.45 | $3,301.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Carroll County Memorial Hospital Carrollton · Carrollton, KY MRI L SPINE W/O CONT | $1,506.60 | $2,511.00 | Aug 17, 2026 source file |
| Breckinridge Memorial Hospital Hardinsburg · Hardinsburg, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $1,559.50 | $3,119.00 | Jul 16, 2026 source file |
| Marcum and Wallace Memorial Hospital Irvine · Richmond-Berea, KY HC MRI-Spine Lumbar WO Contrast | $1,673.40 | $2,789.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Medical Center at Albany Albany · Albany, KY MRI-L SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,694.40 | $2,824.00 | Jul 1, 2024 source file |
| The Medical Center at Scottsville Scottsville · Bowling Green, KY MRI-L SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $1,694.40 | $2,824.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Tj Health Columbia Columbia · Columbia, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $1,755.65 | $2,701.00 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| University of Kentucky Hospital Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY Hc Mri, Lumbar Spine - Mri Lumbar Spine Wo Contrast | $1,814.34 | $4,535.86 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| King's Daughters' Medical Center Ashland · Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HCHG MRI LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONT | $1,930.86 | $4,827.13 | Sep 25, 2026 source file |
| Clark Regional Medical Center Winchester · Lexington-Fayette, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $1,999.80 | $4,999.49 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Bluegrass Community Hospital Versailles · Lexington-Fayette, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $2,225.28 | $5,563.21 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Three Rivers Medical Center Louisa · Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $2,241.80 | $3,736.34 | Sep 17, 2026 source file |
| Rockcastle County Hospital Mount Vernon · Richmond-Berea, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $2,267.08 | $2,983.00 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Bourbon Community Hospital Paris · Lexington-Fayette, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $2,360.13 | $5,900.32 | Jul 11, 2026 source file |
| Meadowview Regional Medical Center Maysville · Maysville, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $2,519.32 | $6,298.30 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Murray-Calloway County Public Hospital Murray · Murray, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $2,605.85 | $4,009.00 | Sep 9, 2026 source file |
| Morgan County Arh Hospital West Liberty · West Liberty, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $2,908.20 | $4,847.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Arh Our Lady of the Way Martin · Pikeville, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,053.40 | $5,089.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Knox County Hospital Barbourville · Corbin, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,053.40 | $5,089.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Mary Breckinridge Arh Hospital Hayden · Hayden, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,053.40 | $5,089.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| McDowell Arh Hospital MC Dowell · Pikeville, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,053.40 | $5,089.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Middlesboro Arh Hospital Middlesboro · Middlesborough, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,066.60 | $5,111.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Georgetown Community Hospital Georgetown · Lexington-Fayette, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $3,086.46 | $7,716.15 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Corbin Corbin · Corbin, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 25, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Hardin Elizabethtown · Elizabethtown, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 25, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health LaGrange La Grange · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 25, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Lexington Lexington · Lexington-Fayette, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 28, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Louisville Louisville · Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 25, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Paducah Paducah · Paducah, KY-IL MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 28, 2026 source file |
| Baptist Health Richmond Richmond · Richmond-Berea, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,235.67 | $4,314.23 | Sep 28, 2026 source file |
| Jackson Purchase Medical Center Mayfield · Mayfield, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $3,250.43 | $8,126.07 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Hazard Appalachian Regional Healthcare Regional Medical Center Hazard · Hazard, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,295.20 | $5,492.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Whitesburg Arh Hospital Whitesburg · Whitesburg, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,377.40 | $5,629.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Harlan Arh Hospital Harlan · Harlan, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,509.40 | $5,849.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Highlands Arh Regional Medical Center Prestonsburg · Pikeville, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,509.40 | $5,849.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Paintsville Arh Hospital Paintsville · Paintsville, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,509.40 | $5,849.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Tug Valley Appalachian Regional Healthcare Regional Medical Center South Williamson · Pikeville, KY MR LUMBAR SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $3,648.60 | $6,081.00 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| Spring View Hospital Lebanon · Lebanon, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $3,652.88 | $9,132.21 | Jul 10, 2026 source file |
| Kentucky River Medical Center Jackson · Jackson, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $3,821.59 | $6,369.32 | Sep 17, 2026 source file |
| The Medical Center at Russellville Russellville · Russellville, KY MRI-L SPINE W/O CONTRAST | $4,090.94 | $6,818.23 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Pineville Community Health Center Pineville · Middlesborough, KY MRI scan of lower spinal canal without contrast | $4,761.68 | $4,761.68 | Jan 24, 2026 source file |
| AdventHealth Manchester Manchester · Corbin, KY HC MRI, LUMBAR SPINE | $4,902.71 | $4,902.71 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Frankfort Regional Medical Center Frankfort · Frankfort, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $6,126.50 | $6,126.50 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Tristar Greenview Regional Hospital Bowling Green · Bowling Green, KY Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, spinal canal and contents, lumbar; without contrast material | $16,922.09 | $16,922.09 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
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
File date When the hospital last updated its price file, as the file says itself. A dash means the file gives no date.
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
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 13 | $1,189.60 | $1,228.32 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 10 | $823.84 | $1,907.07 |
| Corbin, KY | 4 | $1,053.05 | $3,144.54 |
| Pikeville, KY | 4 | $3,053.40 | $3,281.40 |
| Richmond-Berea, KY | 4 | $1,024.72 | $1,970.24 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 3 | $1,252.80 | $1,694.40 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 3 | $1,318.80 | $1,460.85 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 2 | $1,930.86 | $2,086.33 |
| Middlesborough, KY | 2 | $3,066.60 | $3,914.14 |
| Albany, KY | 1 | $1,694.40 | $1,694.40 |
| Carrollton, KY | 1 | $1,506.60 | $1,506.60 |
| Columbia, KY | 1 | $1,755.65 | $1,755.65 |
| Cynthiana, KY | 1 | $642.25 | $642.25 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1 | $970.62 | $970.62 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 1 | $1,230.76 | $1,230.76 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | 1 | $3,235.67 | $3,235.67 |
| Flemingsburg, KY | 1 | $1,329.43 | $1,329.43 |
| Frankfort, KY | 1 | $6,126.50 | $6,126.50 |
| Hardinsburg, KY | 1 | $1,559.50 | $1,559.50 |
| Harlan, KY | 1 | $3,509.40 | $3,509.40 |
| Hartford, KY | 1 | $656.50 | $656.50 |
| Hayden, KY | 1 | $3,053.40 | $3,053.40 |
| Hazard, KY | 1 | $3,295.20 | $3,295.20 |
| Horse Cave, KY | 1 | $1,473.60 | $1,473.60 |
| Henderson, KY | 1 | $614.10 | $614.10 |
| Jackson, KY | 1 | $3,821.59 | $3,821.59 |
| Lebanon, KY | 1 | $3,652.88 | $3,652.88 |
| Louisville, KY | 1 | $1,189.60 | $1,189.60 |
| Maysville, KY | 1 | $2,519.32 | $2,519.32 |
| Monticello, KY | 1 | $1,142.83 | $1,142.83 |
| Morehead, KY | 1 | $1,302.75 | $1,302.75 |
| Morganfield, KY | 1 | $962.09 | $962.09 |
| Madisonville, KY | 1 | $565.18 | $565.18 |
| Mayfield, KY | 1 | $3,250.43 | $3,250.43 |
| Mount Sterling, KY | 1 | $977.87 | $977.87 |
| Murray, KY | 1 | $2,605.85 | $2,605.85 |
| Paintsville, KY | 1 | $3,509.40 | $3,509.40 |
| Russellville, KY | 1 | $4,090.94 | $4,090.94 |
| West Liberty, KY | 1 | $2,908.20 | $2,908.20 |
| Whitesburg, KY | 1 | $3,377.40 | $3,377.40 |
Market A metro area (as the Census Bureau defines it) or, outside metro areas, a town. Each links to every hospital price there.
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Lowest The lowest cash price among those hospitals.
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
What lower back MRI is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Lower back MRI explained.
MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye in other states
- Alabama$1,596.76
- Alaska$3,437.78
- Arizona$1,752.45
- Arkansas$891.78
- California$3,060.69
- Colorado$2,164.66
- Connecticut$1,437.00
- Delaware$2,452.48
- District of Columbia$2,013.00, 3 hospitals
- Florida$3,699.50
- Georgia$1,713.00
- Hawaii$1,531.60
- Idaho$1,557.45
- Illinois$2,881.44
- Indiana$1,016.72
- Iowa$2,371.13
- Kansas$1,240.13
- Louisiana$1,032.62
- Maine$1,419.25
- Maryland$495.14
- Massachusetts$1,805.25
- Michigan$1,806.88
- Minnesota$2,036.24
- Mississippi$1,302.62
- Missouri$1,861.45
- Montana$1,753.00
- Nebraska$3,216.00
- Nevada$2,308.53
- New Hampshire$2,455.25
- New Jersey$591.91
- New Mexico$2,038.78
- New York$1,307.22
- North Carolina$2,227.59
- North Dakota$1,934.90
- Ohio$1,666.80
- Oklahoma$1,264.00
- Oregon$1,870.75
- Pennsylvania$1,790.00
- Puerto Rico$725.00
- Rhode Island$2,250.00
- South Carolina$2,193.60
- South Dakota$3,269.60
- Tennessee$984.54
- Texas$2,190.02
- Utah$4,273.11
- Vermont$3,576.90
- Virginia$2,000.00
- Washington$2,100.33
- West Virginia$1,350.75
- Wisconsin$2,210.00
- Wyoming$2,274.75
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.