Cost of a Knee MRI Visit
in Washington
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Washington state's healthcare costs run approximately 10% above the national average, reflecting the region's concentration of advanced medical facilities and competitive provider market. Knee MRI procedures in Washington typically range from $58.90 to $505.32, with a median cost of $327.00 based on negotiated insurance rates across 3,351 active providers statewide. Patients can browse all Knee MRI providers throughout Washington to compare costs and find in-network options that fit their budget.
Average
$297
Median
$327
Lowest
$59
Highest
$505
Providers
3,351
11% above national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri knee compare to related procedures in Washington?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $100 | $503 | $863 | 3,337 |
| MRI Lumbar Spine MRI of the lumbar spine without contrast | 72148 | $65 | $368 | $2,851 | 5,422 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $79 | $267 | $1,834 | 4,596 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $54 | $171 | $384 | 3,423 |
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 Washington
Washington's healthcare costs run approximately 10% above national averages, driven by the state's concentration of major medical centers in Seattle and Tacoma, plus higher operating costs associated with the region's elevated cost of living. The Puget Sound region's dominance creates pricing pressure that extends throughout the state's healthcare system.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
The Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area contains the majority of Washington's advanced imaging facilities, while rural counties east of the Cascades often require patients to travel significant distances for knee MRI services. This geographic disparity creates both access challenges and cost variations, with rural facilities sometimes charging premium rates due to limited competition but also offering lower overhead-based pricing in other cases.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Major health systems like UW Medicine, MultiCare, and Providence dominate Washington's hospital-based imaging market, typically charging higher facility fees than independent radiology groups. These academic and large health system facilities often justify premium pricing through subspecialized musculoskeletal radiologists and advanced 3-Tesla MRI technology, though the clinical benefit may not always warrant the additional cost for routine knee imaging.
Insurance Market Competition in Washington
Washington's insurance landscape features healthy competition between Premera, Regence, Kaiser, and UHC, preventing the market concentration seen in some states but not creating the aggressive price competition found in more saturated markets. The state's insurance exchange offers multiple carrier options in most counties, giving consumers leverage in plan selection but resulting in negotiated rates that vary significantly between insurers for identical services.
Physician Supply and Demand in Washington
With 3,351 active providers offering knee MRI services, Washington maintains adequate radiologist supply in urban areas while facing shortages in rural regions. This relatively robust provider network in metropolitan areas creates moderate price competition among facilities, though demand from the state's growing population and active outdoor lifestyle keeps utilization rates high and prevents dramatic price reductions.
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 Washington
What is the average cost of a Knee MRI visit in Washington without insurance?
Does Washington Medicaid cover Knee MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Knee MRI near me in Washington?
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 Washington?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Knee MRI in Washington?
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 |