Cost of a Knee MRI Visit
in Louisiana
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Louisiana's healthcare landscape reflects significant regional disparities, with rural parishes facing provider shortages while urban centers like New Orleans and Baton Rouge maintain competitive specialty markets. Patients seeking a Knee MRI typically pay between $55 and $429, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $327. Louisiana has 1,325 active Knee MRI providers across the state, allowing patients to browse all available options when comparing costs and scheduling appointments.
Average
$270
Median
$327
Lowest
$55
Highest
$429
Providers
1,325
1% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri knee compare to related procedures in Louisiana?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $92 | $548 | $766 | 1,172 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $60 | $356 | $702 | 1,176 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $66 | $201 | $424 | 1,112 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $48 | $171 | $288 | 1,374 |
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 73721 — MRI 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.
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 Knee MRI Visit Costs Vary Across Louisiana
Louisiana's healthcare costs run approximately 1% above the national average, reflecting the state's mix of urban medical centers and underserved rural parishes. The state's unique geography, with extensive bayou regions and dispersed population centers, creates significant access challenges that impact pricing dynamics.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
New Orleans and Baton Rouge offer concentrated imaging services with multiple competing facilities, while rural parishes often have limited or no local MRI capability. Patients in northern Louisiana frequently travel to Shreveport for imaging services, while those in southwestern parishes may drive to Lake Charles or Lafayette. This geographic disparity creates cost pressures as rural patients face both higher facility fees and travel expenses.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Louisiana's major health systems like Ochsner Health and Our Lady of the Lake operate hospital-based imaging centers that typically charge higher facility fees than independent radiology practices. Ambulatory surgery centers and standalone imaging facilities often provide more competitive pricing due to lower overhead costs. The prevalence of hospital-owned facilities in urban markets can limit price competition despite multiple provider options.
Insurance Market Competition in Louisiana
BCBS Louisiana maintains the largest market share, followed by UHC and Aetna, creating moderate insurer competition that influences negotiated rates with imaging providers. The state's decision not to expand Medicaid has limited insurer participation in individual markets, potentially reducing competitive pressure on pricing. Rural parishes often have fewer insurer options, which can result in less favorable negotiated rates for imaging services.
Physician Supply and Demand in Louisiana
With 1,325 active Knee MRI providers statewide, Louisiana maintains adequate radiologist availability in urban areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This supply imbalance creates longer wait times and potentially higher costs in underserved parishes, while urban competition helps moderate pricing. The concentration of medical training programs in New Orleans helps maintain specialist supply in southeastern Louisiana.
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 — Knee MRI Costs in Louisiana
What is the average cost of a Knee MRI visit in Louisiana without insurance?
Does Louisiana Medicaid cover Knee MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Knee MRI near me in Louisiana?
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 Knee MRI visit in Louisiana?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Knee MRI in Louisiana?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 73721)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Range: $64 – $1,036 | $447 |
| 2 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $1,001 | $404 |
| 3 | Maine Range: $105 – $701 | $366 |
| 4 | Nevada Range: $80 – $642 | $357 |
| 5 | Wyoming Range: $59 – $697 | $336 |
| 6 | Massachusetts Range: $70 – $590 | $329 |
| 7 | Hawaii Range: $75 – $505 | $322 |
| 8 | Nebraska Range: $123 – $504 | $322 |
| 9 | Minnesota Range: $83 – $507 | $306 |
| 10 | Colorado Range: $60 – $642 | $299 |
| 11 | Washington Range: $59 – $505 | $297 |
| 12 | New Hampshire Range: $77 – $590 | $296 |
| 13 | Iowa Range: $80 – $516 | $296 |
| 14 | Illinois Range: $69 – $595 | $295 |
| 15 | North Carolina Range: $65 – $580 | $290 |
| 16 | Indiana Range: $59 – $595 | $284 |
| 17 | Vermont Range: $57 – $617 | $281 |
| 18 | New Mexico Range: $57 – $588 | $281 |
| 19 | West Virginia Range: $71 – $425 | $274 |
| 20 | Utah Range: $59 – $504 | $273 |
| 21 | District of Columbia Range: $53 – $560 | $272 |
| 22 | Louisiana Range: $55 – $429 | $270 |
| 23 | Rhode Island Range: $59 – $537 | $267 |
| 24 | Oregon Range: $75 – $393 | $265 |
| 25 | Virginia Range: $45 – $569 | $262 |
| 26 | New York Range: $48 – $582 | $262 |
| 27 | South Dakota Range: $131 – $327 | $262 |
| 28 | Alaska Range: $59 – $527 | $261 |
| 29 | Idaho Range: $59 – $462 | $255 |
| 30 | Michigan Range: $62 – $506 | $252 |
| 31 | Kansas Range: $65 – $504 | $249 |
| 32 | Montana Range: $59 – $358 | $248 |
| 33 | Tennessee Range: $66 – $479 | $247 |
| 34 | North Dakota Range: $83 – $327 | $246 |
| 35 | Kentucky Range: $59 – $492 | $242 |
| 36 | Missouri Range: $69 – $461 | $238 |
| 37 | Alabama Range: $53 – $479 | $232 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania Range: $55 – $506 | $232 |
| 39 | Texas Range: $59 – $464 | $230 |
| 40 | South Carolina Range: $58 – $468 | $230 |
| 41 | Delaware Range: $63 – $399 | $226 |
| 42 | California Range: $75 – $505 | $220 |
| 43 | Mississippi Range: $52 – $465 | $220 |
| 44 | Oklahoma Range: $55 – $464 | $219 |
| 45 | New Jersey Range: $47 – $466 | $219 |
| 46 | Maryland Range: $26 – $457 | $218 |
| 47 | Ohio Range: $45 – $452 | $214 |
| 48 | Connecticut Range: $55 – $472 | $211 |
| 49 | Arkansas Range: $66 – $327 | $192 |
| 50 | Florida Range: $35 – $479 | $191 |
| 51 | Arizona Range: $59 – $350 | $183 |