Cost of a Brain MRI Visit
in Idaho
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Idaho's rural geography creates significant healthcare access challenges, with many residents traveling long distances for specialized services like Brain MRI consultations. Patients typically pay between $87.90 and $792.98 for these visits, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $402.85 across Idaho's 136 active Brain MRI providers. Browse all providers in Idaho to find the most affordable option for your specific insurance plan.
Average
$428
Median
$403
Lowest
$88
Highest
$793
Providers
136
11% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri brain compare to related procedures in Idaho?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $59 | $243 | $462 | 140 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $65 | $287 | $2,851 | 178 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $79 | $203 | $1,834 | 202 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $54 | $171 | $321 | 167 |
Important: These are cost estimates only — not a quote and not medical advice.
The prices on this page are self-pay rates, drawn from federal Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files (CPT 70553 — MRI brain without contrast, then with contrast). They represent what a patient might pay without insurance.
Your actual cost depends on: your specific insurance plan, your remaining deductible, your coinsurance percentage, whether you have met your out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility and provider are both in-network, and any separate anesthesia or implant fees billed independently.
This page does not constitute medical advice. Whether you need this procedure, and which approach is right for you, is a decision to make with a licensed healthcare provider.
Where this data comes from & what CPT 70553 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 70553 (MRI brain without contrast, then with contrast), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 70553 covers: the provider's professional fee for mri brain. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
How to read this data
Negotiated Rate
The discounted price an insurer has agreed to pay a specific provider. Most insured patients' bills are calculated from this number, not the higher list price hospitals publish separately.
P5, Median, P95
P5 is the rate at the 5th percentile (low end), Median is the middle value, and P95 is the 95th percentile (high end). This range shows how much the same visit can vary between providers.
What this does not tell you
These rates do not tell you what you personally will pay out of pocket. That depends on your specific plan, how much of your deductible you have already met, your coinsurance rate, and whether the provider is in your network. Call your insurer's member line to get your exact estimate.
Why Brain MRI Visit Costs Vary Across Idaho
Idaho's healthcare costs run approximately 3% below the national average, partly due to lower operational costs in rural areas and reduced competition among specialty providers. The state's vast rural geography creates unique access challenges, with many patients traveling significant distances to reach Brain MRI specialists in metropolitan areas like Boise and Coeur d'Alene.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Boise and its surrounding metropolitan area contain the majority of Idaho's Brain MRI specialists, creating cost premiums due to higher demand and facility overhead. Rural counties often lack local neuroimaging services, forcing patients to travel to regional centers or rely on mobile MRI units. This geographic concentration leads to significant cost variations, with urban providers typically charging 20-30% more than rural counterparts.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging departments in Idaho generally charge higher rates than independent imaging centers due to facility fees and administrative overhead. Major health systems like Saint Alphonsus and Kootenai Health dominate the market in their respective regions, which can limit price competition. Independent radiology groups often offer more competitive pricing but may have longer wait times due to high patient volumes.
Insurance Market Competition in Idaho
The insurance landscape in Idaho features limited competition, with Regence BlueCross and PacificSource controlling much of the market share. This concentration allows these insurers to negotiate more aggressively with providers, sometimes resulting in lower reimbursement rates that benefit consumers. However, the limited insurer options can also reduce patient choice and create network adequacy challenges in rural areas.
Physician Supply and Demand in Idaho
With 136 active Brain MRI providers serving Idaho's population of 1.9 million, the state maintains adequate specialist coverage in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply-demand imbalance drives higher prices in underserved areas while creating competitive pricing in metropolitan markets. Wait times for non-urgent Brain MRI consultations typically range from 1-3 weeks in cities to 4-6 weeks in rural areas.
Jayant Panwar
CEO, Momentary Labs · San Francisco, CA
Jayant has analyzed healthcare pricing data from CMS Transparency in Coverage files since 2022, covering more than 50 million negotiated rate records across all 50 states. His work focuses on making insurer machine-readable files accessible to patients and researchers.
The cost figures on this page reflect his ongoing work to make this data accessible to patients.
Frequently Asked Questions — Brain MRI Costs in Idaho
What is the average cost of a Brain MRI visit in Idaho without insurance?
Does Idaho Medicaid cover Brain MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Brain MRI near me in Idaho?
What is the difference in cost between an initial consultation and a follow-up visit?
Can I use an HSA or FSA to pay for a Brain MRI visit in Idaho?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Brain MRI in Idaho?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 70553)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota Range: $221 – $3,100 | $1,291 |
| 2 | Minnesota Range: $88 – $3,100 | $1,247 |
| 3 | Wisconsin Range: $80 – $2,464 | $975 |
| 4 | Nevada Range: $135 – $1,458 | $698 |
| 5 | Georgia Range: $101 – $1,468 | $653 |
| 6 | Hawaii Range: $88 – $1,014 | $577 |
| 7 | Massachusetts Range: $90 – $1,060 | $567 |
| 8 | Maine Range: $178 – $1,023 | $548 |
| 9 | Wyoming Range: $100 – $1,112 | $537 |
| 10 | Utah Range: $94 – $1,045 | $510 |
| 11 | Nebraska Range: $208 – $793 | $504 |
| 12 | New Mexico Range: $98 – $1,063 | $492 |
| 13 | New Hampshire Range: $129 – $993 | $489 |
| 14 | Washington Range: $100 – $863 | $489 |
| 15 | North Carolina Range: $99 – $988 | $485 |
| 16 | Iowa Range: $95 – $842 | $483 |
| 17 | Colorado Range: $95 – $1,015 | $475 |
| 18 | Indiana Range: $85 – $1,014 | $471 |
| 19 | Louisiana Range: $92 – $766 | $468 |
| 20 | Alaska Range: $97 – $948 | $454 |
| 21 | South Dakota Range: $247 – $552 | $450 |
| 22 | West Virginia Range: $98 – $687 | $446 |
| 23 | Vermont Range: $82 – $983 | $443 |
| 24 | Virginia Range: $76 – $970 | $437 |
| 25 | Michigan Range: $80 – $917 | $430 |
| 26 | Rhode Island Range: $88 – $879 | $429 |
| 27 | Idaho Range: $88 – $793 | $428 |
| 28 | District of Columbia Range: $90 – $879 | $426 |
| 29 | Oregon Range: $103 – $623 | $426 |
| 30 | Illinois Range: $93 – $842 | $417 |
| 31 | New York Range: $82 – $926 | $417 |
| 32 | Tennessee Range: $109 – $823 | $417 |
| 33 | Montana Range: $100 – $590 | $414 |
| 34 | Kansas Range: $107 – $818 | $401 |
| 35 | Kentucky Range: $83 – $842 | $398 |
| 36 | South Carolina Range: $82 – $829 | $390 |
| 37 | Alabama Range: $88 – $811 | $384 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania Range: $57 – $879 | $384 |
| 39 | Oklahoma Range: $85 – $817 | $377 |
| 40 | Mississippi Range: $89 – $811 | $376 |
| 41 | New Jersey Range: $63 – $830 | $374 |
| 42 | Ohio Range: $78 – $813 | $373 |
| 43 | Texas Range: $90 – $721 | $355 |
| 44 | Maryland Range: $46 – $737 | $351 |
| 45 | Delaware Range: $98 – $596 | $345 |
| 46 | Missouri Range: $115 – $628 | $342 |
| 47 | Arkansas Range: $104 – $630 | $340 |
| 48 | Connecticut Range: $55 – $777 | $337 |
| 49 | Florida Range: $35 – $811 | $302 |
| 50 | Arizona Range: $100 – $550 | $288 |
| 51 | California Range: $55 – $654 | $265 |