Knee MRI with contrast cost in Maryland
In Maryland, 14 hospitals publish a cash price for MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, without and then with contrast dye: from $573.34 to $4,615.41, with a median of $1,202.47. The lowest price is at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital (Leonardtown). The highest price is 8.1× the lowest.
- The median here, $1,202.47, is 55% below the US median of $2,669.70.
- That is 3.4× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($356.43).
- Maryland ranks 4th of 51 states by median, cheapest first.
- 2 of 14 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Why Maryland prices look low: Maryland is the only state where a commission (the HSCRC) sets hospital rates for every payer, so its hospitals publish prices far below the rest of the country. A separate physician fee may still apply.
Maryland law (Health-General §19-214.1) requires hospitals to give free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and to cut the bill by 75% up to 250% and 60% up to 300%. With medical debt above 25% of family income in a year, discounts reach up to 500%. Immigration status does not count. Ask the hospital for its financial assistance application. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 73723. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Oct 29, 2026. See them on a map
Hospitals in Maryland, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MedStar St. Mary's Hospital one side lowest Leonardtown · Lexington Park, MD BC-LWR EXT JOINT LEFT WO W CON | $573.34 | $585.04 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Western Maryland Cumberland · Cumberland, MD-WV MRI LOW EXT ANY JOINT W/WO CON | $601.20 | $1,002.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center one side Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD BC-LWR EXT JOINT RIGHT WOW CON | $968.79 | $988.56 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Frederick Health Hospital one side Frederick · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MRI ANKLE RIGHT WWO CONT | $973.31 | $993.17 | Mar 17, 2025 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center one side Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC MRI, JOINT OF LEG. COMBO LT | $980.86 | $1,000.88 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Southern Hospital Center Clinton · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV MRI LOWER EXT JOINT WO W CONT | $1,069.51 | $1,091.34 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| TidalHealth Peninsula Salisbury · Salisbury, MD HC MRI LOWER EXTREM JOINT WWO CONT | $1,139.06 | $1,162.31 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Harbor Hospital one side Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD BC-LWR EXT JOINT RIGHT WOW CON | $1,265.87 | $1,291.70 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Atlantic General Hospital Berlin · Ocean Pines, MD Magnetic resonance (eg, proton) imaging, any joint of lower extremity; without contrast material(s), followed by contrast material(s) and further sequences | $1,317.87 | $1,317.87 | Apr 10, 2026 source file |
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center Towson · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC MRI-Hip/Knee/Ankle Pre/Post | $1,321.24 | $1,348.20 | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MRI LOWER EXT JOINT WO W CONT | $1,621.74 | $1,654.84 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MRI LOWER EXT JOINT WO W CONT | $1,664.27 | $1,698.23 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| MedStar Montgomery Medical Center one side Olney · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV BC-LWR EXT JOINT LEFT WO W CON | $3,485.78 | $3,556.92 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County one side Elkton · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MRI,LOWER EXTREM,ANY JNT,W/WO CON,RT GLR | $4,615.41 | $4,615.41 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 6 | $968.79 | $1,293.56 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 3 | $973.31 | $1,069.51 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 1 | $601.20 | $601.20 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 1 | $573.34 | $573.34 |
| Ocean Pines, MD | 1 | $1,317.87 | $1,317.87 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1 | $4,615.41 | $4,615.41 |
| Salisbury, MD | 1 | $1,139.06 | $1,139.06 |
What knee MRI with contrast is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Knee MRI with contrast explained.
MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, without and then with contrast dye in other states
- Alabama$2,067.92
- Alaska$3,762.51
- Arizona$2,098.13
- Arkansas$1,032.73
- California$4,620.75
- Colorado$3,344.00
- Connecticut$3,273.48
- Delaware$3,547.03
- District of Columbia$2,786.93, 3 hospitals
- Florida$4,881.00
- Georgia$2,508.66
- Hawaii$2,400.00
- Idaho$2,263.00
- Illinois$3,448.00
- Indiana$1,447.52
- Iowa$3,198.00
- Kansas$1,645.38
- Kentucky$2,128.63
- Louisiana$1,242.30
- Maine$2,603.00
- Massachusetts$2,980.00
- Michigan$2,504.29
- Minnesota$2,568.76
- Mississippi$1,639.20
- Missouri$2,276.92
- Montana$2,710.97
- Nebraska$3,368.55
- Nevada$3,463.36
- New Hampshire$3,912.93
- New Jersey$721.30
- New Mexico$2,479.20
- New York$2,031.13
- North Carolina$2,925.00
- North Dakota$3,125.10
- Ohio$2,391.35
- Oklahoma$1,791.90
- Oregon$2,672.00
- Pennsylvania$3,524.50
- Puerto Rico$901.23
- Rhode Island$3,257.40
- South Carolina$2,832.60
- South Dakota$4,168.00
- Tennessee$1,256.82
- Texas$3,008.26
- Utah$5,678.24
- Vermont$4,741.50
- Virginia$3,433.50
- Washington$2,928.00
- West Virginia$1,854.00
- Wisconsin$3,415.00
- Wyoming$2,803.53
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.