Lower back MRI with contrast cost in New York

In New York, 112 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye: from $300.00 to $10,494.00, with a median of $1,777.32. The lowest price is at Kenmore Mercy Hospital (Kenmore) and 3 other hospitals. The highest price is 35.0× the lowest.

• The median here, $1,777.32, is 35% below the US median of $2,750.28.
• That is 5.0× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($356.43).
• New York ranks 10th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
• 28 of 112 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.

New York law (Public Health Law §2807-k(9-a), as amended in October 2024): uninsured patients with income below 200% of the federal poverty level owe nothing for emergency and medically necessary hospital care; up to 400% they pay on a sliding scale of at most 10% or 20% of what Medicaid would pay. Emergency care is covered for New York residents, other care for people living in the hospital's service area; immigration status does not count. Ask for the Uniform Hospital Financial Assistance form. Other states' laws.

Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 72158. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Nov 11, 2026. See them on a map