Cost of a Brain MRI Visit
in Iowa
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Iowa's healthcare system serves a predominantly rural population with significant provider concentration in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City corridors. Brain MRI patients typically pay between $95 and $842, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $511 across Iowa's 409 active providers. Patients can browse all qualified Brain MRI providers throughout Iowa to compare costs and availability.
Average
$483
Median
$511
Lowest
$95
Highest
$842
Providers
409
1% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri brain compare to related procedures in Iowa?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $80 | $291 | $516 | 523 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $85 | $253 | $513 | 553 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $85 | $361 | $753 | 483 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $73 | $214 | $424 | 424 |
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 Iowa
Iowa's healthcare costs run approximately 9% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and more restrained provider pricing in rural markets. The concentration of specialty care in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City creates access challenges for patients in Iowa's 99 counties.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Iowa's 409 Brain MRI providers are heavily concentrated in the Des Moines metro, Cedar Rapids-Iowa City corridor, and Sioux City regions. Rural counties often lack specialty neurological care, forcing patients to travel significant distances and potentially pay higher costs due to limited local competition. Telemedicine consultations are increasingly bridging this gap for follow-up care.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
UnityPoint Health, MercyOne, and University of Iowa Health Care dominate Iowa's healthcare landscape, operating most hospital-based specialty clinics. These health system-owned practices typically charge facility fees in addition to physician fees, increasing total visit costs. Independent neurology practices offer alternative options with potentially lower overhead expenses.
Insurance Market Competition in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield maintains strong market dominance across Iowa, with United Healthcare and Aetna providing additional options primarily in urban areas. This concentrated insurer market can limit negotiating leverage for providers but may result in more standardized pricing. The individual marketplace has fewer carrier options compared to more competitive states.
Physician Supply and Demand in Iowa
With 409 active Brain MRI providers serving Iowa's 3.2 million residents, the state maintains adequate specialist availability in metropolitan areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply distribution affects both access and pricing, with rural patients often paying travel costs in addition to medical fees. Wait times tend to be shorter in urban areas due to higher provider concentration.
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 Iowa
What is the average cost of a Brain MRI visit in Iowa without insurance?
Does Iowa Medicaid cover Brain MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Brain MRI near me in Iowa?
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 Iowa?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Brain MRI in Iowa?
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 |