How much does an MRI of the lumbar spine cost?

The typical insurer-negotiated rate for an MRI of the lumbar spine is about $870, with most falling between $410 and $1,726, based on published rates from 3,188 U.S. hospitals. What you actually pay depends on your plan's deductible and coinsurance.

Cash or self-pay prices for an MRI of the lumbar spine run around $1,942. Uninsured patients are often billed the much higher hospital "list" charge first (about $3,380), so it's worth asking for the cash or self-pay rate and negotiating.

Hospital "list" (chargemaster) prices for an MRI of the lumbar spine run about $3,380 — roughly 3.9× the $870 insurers actually pay. The list price is a starting point almost no one pays; the negotiated and cash rates are the realistic benchmark.

Yes. If you were charged well above the typical negotiated rate (about $870), that gap is negotiable. Upfronte audits your bill against real hospital pricing data and can negotiate it down on your behalf — no savings, no fee.