Cost of a Knee MRI Visit
in Pennsylvania
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Pennsylvania's healthcare system spans from world-renowned medical centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to rural facilities serving the state's mountainous regions, creating significant variation in medical imaging costs. Knee MRI procedures typically range from $55 to $506 based on negotiated insurance rates, with a median cost of $134 across Pennsylvania's 1,965 active providers. The state's concentration of academic medical centers and competition between major health systems like UPMC and Penn Medicine helps create options for patients seeking affordable diagnostic imaging throughout Pennsylvania.
Average
$232
Median
$134
Lowest
$55
Highest
$506
Providers
1,965
14% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri knee compare to related procedures in Pennsylvania?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $57 | $215 | $879 | 1,970 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $55 | $132 | $527 | 1,641 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $76 | $215 | $753 | 1,669 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $50 | $115 | $389 | 2,029 |
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 Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's healthcare costs run approximately 9% above the national average, reflecting the state's mix of high-cost urban markets and lower-cost rural regions. The concentration of major academic medical centers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh creates premium pricing zones, while competition between health systems helps moderate costs in suburban markets.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Pennsylvania's 67 counties show stark disparities in imaging access, with Philadelphia and Allegheny counties offering dozens of MRI facilities while rural counties may have limited options. Patients in central Pennsylvania's mountainous regions often travel 30-60 minutes for advanced imaging, which can increase overall procedure costs through travel and time off work.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging at facilities like Penn Medicine and UPMC carries higher overhead costs reflected in pricing, while independent imaging centers throughout Pennsylvania typically offer 30-50% lower rates. The state's certificate of need laws historically limited imaging facility expansion, though recent regulatory changes have increased competition in metropolitan areas.
Insurance Market Competition in Pennsylvania
Competition between Highmark, Independence Blue Cross, and United Healthcare creates downward pressure on negotiated rates in most Pennsylvania markets. The southeastern region around Philadelphia benefits from particularly strong insurer competition, while some rural counties have limited carrier options that may result in higher negotiated rates for imaging services.
Physician Supply and Demand in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's 1,965 active providers offering knee MRI services suggests adequate supply in most markets, though distribution heavily favors urban areas. The state's strong medical education infrastructure, including multiple radiology residency programs, helps maintain specialist availability, though rural shortages persist and may drive longer wait times and higher costs in underserved regions.
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 Pennsylvania
What is the average cost of a Knee MRI visit in Pennsylvania without insurance?
Does Pennsylvania Medicaid cover Knee MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Knee MRI near me in Pennsylvania?
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 Pennsylvania?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Knee MRI in Pennsylvania?
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 |