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By Jayant Panwar, Healthcare Data AnalystUpdated April 5, 2026Editorial policy
Disclaimer: This page provides cost comparison data sourced from insurer Transparency in Coverage files. It is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical decisions.Learn about our data methodology.
South Lake Tahoe, California

Cost of a Knee MRI Visit
in South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe's healthcare market presents unique challenges for patients seeking Knee MRI services, with limited provider availability in this mountain resort community. Patients in South Lake Tahoe pay between $87 and $576 for a Knee MRI visit, with a median of $240 based on insurance negotiated rates. The area currently has 0 active providers offering these services (0 individual practitioners, 0 group practices), requiring many patients to seek care in nearby cities.

Cost Summary for Knee MRI in South Lake Tahoe

Low Estimate

$87

Median

$240

High Estimate

$576

Providers

21

National avg: $268South Lake Tahoe: $240

11% below national average

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 73721MRI any joint of lower extremity without 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 73721 covers

Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 73721 (MRI any joint of lower extremity without contrast), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.

What CPT 73721 covers: the provider's professional fee for mri knee. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.

Knee MRI Visit Costs by City in California2026

Knee MRI visit costs across cities in California
CityMin CostMedian CostMax Cost
Chula Vista$75$505$505
La Mesa$75$505$505
Santee$67$505$505
Oceanside$75$350$607
Milpitas$75$345$360
Palm Desert$75$338$2,278
Campbell$80$327$360
Pleasant Hill$75$327$327
San Diego$75$258$505
South Lake Tahoe (this city)$87$240$576
La Jolla$74$228$541
Travis Afb$59$215$529
Thousand Oaks$75$209$491
Fresno$63$207$871
Poway$75$195$505
Pomona$75$188$685
San Jose$75$175$360
Morgan Hill$70$175$360
Loma Linda$68$171$472
San Leandro$71$142$468
Clovis$75$139$409
Glendale$59$139$425
Rancho Mirage$59$139$840
Lancaster$63$138$407
San Francisco$67$137$472
Oakland$59$128$595
El Segundo$62$126$298
San Ramon$64$120$393
El Cajon$52$119$505
Turlock$75$114$526
Temecula$75$111$354
Fremont$75$110$356
Saratoga$75$110$327
Pasadena$60$105$560
Santa Cruz$75$105$390
Oxnard$55$104$464
Mountain View$75$102$360
Los Gatos$75$102$452
Santa Clara$75$102$374
Antioch$60$97$327
Santa Rosa$75$96$400
Petaluma$75$96$110
Sonoma$94$96$1,307
San Rafael$82$96$96
Novato$75$96$96
Redding$75$96$374
Pleasanton$72$95$327
Downey$59$92$651
Los Angeles$59$90$472
West Hollywood$90$90$267
Beverly Hills$80$90$343
Roseville$75$90$327
Tarzana$82$90$93
Marina Del Rey$75$90$90
Encino$75$90$340
Culver City$48$90$278
Duarte$80$90$504
Bakersfield$75$89$478
Santa Barbara$54$82$400
Stanford$80$80$360
Palo Alto$80$80$338
Irvine$75$80$350
Modesto$73$80$360
Torrance$75$80$356
Newport Beach$75$80$415
Long Beach$75$80$505
Riverside$69$80$472
San Luis Obispo$75$80$358
Menlo Park$75$80$190
Anaheim$75$80$327
Redwood City$59$80$232
Palm Springs$75$80$80
Mission Viejo$65$80$274
Tustin$75$80$368
San Mateo$75$80$595
Yorba Linda$75$80$90
Salinas$75$80$360
Encinitas$75$80$505
Fullerton$62$80$384
Burlingame$75$80$100
Fountain Valley$55$80$189
Madera$53$80$348
Castro Valley$75$80$189
Livermore$47$80$326
Emeryville$80$80$871
Alameda$75$80$110
Manteca$75$80$95
Vista$75$80$505
Hanford$57$80$371
Corona$75$80$152
Whittier$35$80$350
Ventura$75$79$325
Arcadia$75$79$441
Huntington Beach$75$78$441
Santa Maria$65$78$257
Brea$61$78$189
Sunnyvale$75$75$352
Costa Mesa$75$75$80
Stockton$75$75$443
Visalia$75$75$530
Carlsbad$75$75$505
Laguna Hills$38$75$277
Valencia$75$75$325
Rancho Santa Margarita$75$75$80
Northridge$75$75$208
Redlands$68$75$226
Laguna Niguel$75$75$83
Monterey$72$75$414
Redondo Beach$71$75$327
San Juan Capistrano$75$75$80
San Clemente$75$75$332
Folsom$75$75$211
Burbank$52$75$171
Cupertino$75$75$354
Garden Grove$75$75$88
Berkeley$51$75$157
Vallejo$75$75$176
Arroyo Grande$75$75$80

Costs reflect self-pay estimates based on insurer-negotiated rates. Insured patients may pay significantly less depending on plan type, deductible status, and network tier.

Compare Similar Procedures

How does mri knee compare to related procedures in California?

ProcedureCPTLowMedianHighProviders
MRI Brain

MRI of the brain with and without contrast

70553$55$85$6549,774
MRI Lumbar Spine

MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast

72148$72$96$4706,585
CT Abdomen & Pelvis

CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast

74177$70$85$67215,496
CT Chest

CT scan of the chest with contrast

71260$25$85$52110,242
JP

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.

Healthcare Data AnalyticsCMS TiC DataInsurance Price Transparency

Frequently Asked Questions — Knee MRI Costs in South Lake Tahoe

What is the average cost of a Knee MRI visit in South Lake Tahoe without insurance?

Without insurance, Knee MRI visits in South Lake Tahoe range from $87 to $576, with a median cost of $240 based on insurance negotiated rates. Self-pay patients may find different pricing structures, and it's worth asking providers about cash discounts. These rates come from actual insurance contracts with 21 providers in the area.

How much more does a new patient consultation cost compared to a follow-up in South Lake Tahoe?

Pricing data for new patient visits (CPT 99203 and 99204) is not available for South Lake Tahoe, but follow-up visits for established patients with moderate complexity (CPT 99214) cost between $87 and $576. New patient visits typically cost 20-40% more than follow-up appointments due to the additional time required for initial evaluation. You should confirm specific pricing with your chosen provider before scheduling.

Are there lower-cost Knee MRI options in cities near South Lake Tahoe?

San Diego offers lower median costs at $258 compared to South Lake Tahoe's $240, though the difference is minimal. However, cities like Chula Vista, Santee, and La Mesa show significantly higher costs at $505 median. Given South Lake Tahoe's limited provider availability, comparing options in nearby Nevada cities may also be worthwhile for patients in the area.

How do I find a highly rated, affordable Knee MRI in South Lake Tahoe?

With 0 providers currently practicing in South Lake Tahoe, patients typically need to seek care in nearby areas. Focus on providers who offer transparent pricing within the $87 to $576 range and have strong patient ratings. Many patients in the area travel to Reno, Nevada or Sacramento, California for specialist care due to limited local options.

What should I expect to pay for a Knee MRI visit in South Lake Tahoe with insurance?

With insurance, your out-of-pocket cost depends on your specific plan's deductible, copay, and coinsurance structure. The negotiated rates range from $87 to $576 with a $240 median, so your portion could be anywhere from a small copay to the full amount if you haven't met your deductible. Contact your insurance provider to understand your specific benefits before scheduling.

How many Knee MRIs are currently practicing in South Lake Tahoe?

There are currently 0 providers offering Knee MRI services directly in South Lake Tahoe. This includes 0 individual practitioners and 0 group practices, reflecting the challenges of maintaining specialized services in smaller mountain communities. Most patients travel to larger nearby cities where more providers and imaging centers are available.

Find an Affordable Knee MRI in South Lake Tahoe — Powered by AI

Get personalized cost estimates for Knee MRI visits in South Lake Tahoe based on your specific insurance plan and provider preferences. Our AI-powered tool analyzes real pricing data to help you find the most affordable, highly-rated care options in your area.

MRI Knee in Other California Cities
View all California mri knee costs
JP

Jayant Panwar

CEO & Healthcare Data Analyst, Momentary Labs

Last updated: April 5, 2026

About This Data

Cost data sourced from Transparency in Coverage (TiC) machine-readable files published by UnitedHealthcare as required by the CMS Price Transparency Rule. These are actual negotiated rates between insurers and providers — not estimates.

Prices shown are for MRI any joint of lower extremity without contrast (CPT 73721) in South Lake Tahoe, California.

Actual out-of-pocket costs depend on your insurance plan, deductible, coinsurance, and services received. This is not medical advice.

About this page

Data source: UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files, CPT 73721, South Lake Tahoe, California providers. Rates represent in-network negotiated amounts and may vary by plan type.

Editorial policy: Momentary Labs does not accept payment from providers, hospitals, or insurers to influence cost rankings or editorial content. Read our full editorial policy.

Corrections: If you believe any cost figure or clinical information on this page is inaccurate, please report it here. We review all submissions within 5 business days.