Cost of a Knee MRI Visit
in South Carolina
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
South Carolina's healthcare market operates roughly 1% below national cost averages, with Knee MRI visits reflecting this regional pricing advantage across the state's diverse urban and rural communities. Patients typically pay between $58 and $468 for a Knee MRI, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $163 based on actual negotiated rates from insurance transparency files. With 1,323 active Knee MRI providers throughout South Carolina, patients have substantial options when selecting care that fits both their clinical needs and budget constraints.
Average
$230
Median
$163
Lowest
$58
Highest
$468
Providers
1,323
14% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri knee compare to related procedures in South Carolina?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $82 | $260 | $829 | 1,282 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $63 | $158 | $465 | 1,091 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $80 | $218 | $505 | 1,407 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $54 | $141 | $339 | 1,384 |
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 South Carolina
South Carolina's healthcare costs run approximately 1% below national averages, reflecting the state's lower cost of living and competitive provider market spanning from Charleston's medical district to Greenville's growing healthcare corridor. The state's geographic diversity creates distinct cost patterns, with coastal and upstate metropolitan areas typically commanding higher rates than rural Pee Dee and Midlands regions.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville anchor South Carolina's imaging infrastructure with multiple hospital systems and independent radiology groups, while rural counties often rely on traveling technologists or require patients to drive significant distances for MRI services. This geographic disparity creates both access challenges and cost variations, with rural facilities sometimes offering lower rates to attract patients from wider service areas.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging centers in South Carolina typically charge higher facility fees than independent radiology practices, reflecting the overhead costs of major health systems like MUSC Health, Prisma Health, and AnMed Health. Ambulatory surgery centers and dedicated imaging centers often provide cost-effective alternatives while maintaining quality standards and convenient scheduling options.
Insurance Market Competition in South Carolina
BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina's dominant market position influences negotiated rates across the state, though competition from UnitedHealthcare and Aetna helps moderate pricing in urban markets. The relatively concentrated insurer market means that provider networks tend to be broad, giving patients good access to in-network imaging services throughout most of the state.
Physician Supply and Demand in South Carolina
With 1,323 active Knee MRI providers serving South Carolina's 5.2 million residents, the state maintains adequate imaging capacity in most regions, though rural areas face ongoing challenges with specialist access. This provider density helps keep wait times reasonable and prevents the supply constraints that drive up costs in other southeastern states, particularly for routine diagnostic imaging studies.
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 South Carolina
What is the average cost of a Knee MRI visit in South Carolina without insurance?
Does South Carolina Medicaid cover Knee MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Knee MRI near me in South Carolina?
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 South Carolina?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Knee MRI in South Carolina?
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 |