Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek's healthcare market reflects the broader East Bay medical landscape, with insurance negotiated rates varying significantly across providers. Patients in Walnut Creek pay between $80 and $474 for a Lower Back MRI visit, with a median of $85. The current provider network includes 0 active providers (0 individual practitioners, 0 group practices) offering this specialty service.
Cost Summary for Lower Back MRI in Walnut Creek
Low Estimate
$80
Median
$85
High Estimate
$474
Providers
72
78% 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 72148 — MRI lumbar spine 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 72148 covers
Data source: Cost figures are derived from UnitedHealthcare Transparency in Coverage machine-readable files for CPT code 72148 (MRI lumbar spine without contrast), as mandated by the CMS Price Transparency Rule.
What CPT 72148 covers: the provider's professional fee for mri lumbar spine. It does not include facility/hospital fees, anesthesia, pre-operative imaging, post-operative care, or any add-on codes billed separately.
Lower Back MRI Visit Costs by City in California — 2026
| City | Min Cost | Median Cost | Max Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tustin | $80 | $368 | $699 |
| Roseville | $80 | $368 | $1,976 |
| Thousand Oaks | $102 | $368 | $565 |
| Hayward | $80 | $354 | $368 |
| Travis Afb | $65 | $249 | $599 |
| South Lake Tahoe | $149 | $225 | $669 |
| La Jolla | $79 | $216 | $543 |
| West Hollywood | $80 | $206 | $712 |
| San Ramon | $62 | $197 | $381 |
| Santa Monica | $63 | $177 | $652 |
| Beverly Hills | $56 | $177 | $501 |
| Duarte | $80 | $173 | $1,243 |
| Loma Linda | $74 | $168 | $461 |
| San Leandro | $75 | $156 | $442 |
| Morgan Hill | $77 | $155 | $340 |
| Los Angeles | $54 | $154 | $501 |
| San Francisco | $71 | $148 | $447 |
| San Diego | $73 | $148 | $553 |
| Sacramento | $65 | $144 | $527 |
| Santa Rosa | $78 | $133 | $387 |
| Santa Clara | $80 | $129 | $356 |
| Anaheim | $65 | $128 | $408 |
| Torrance | $66 | $125 | $374 |
| Santa Barbara | $51 | $124 | $409 |
| Merced | $65 | $123 | $798 |
| Fremont | $80 | $120 | $368 |
| Pleasanton | $80 | $120 | $368 |
| Los Alamitos | $80 | $120 | $406 |
| Los Altos | $67 | $113 | $447 |
| San Jose | $80 | $111 | $340 |
| Madera | $80 | $111 | $160 |
| Fresno | $65 | $111 | $1,223 |
| Mountain View | $80 | $111 | $368 |
| Stockton | $70 | $111 | $888 |
| Milpitas | $111 | $111 | $340 |
| Clovis | $65 | $111 | $188 |
| Riverside | $69 | $103 | $525 |
| Bakersfield | $10 | $96 | $431 |
| San Mateo | $80 | $96 | $570 |
| Mission Viejo | $54 | $96 | $431 |
| Newport Beach | $67 | $89 | $435 |
| Oakland | $71 | $85 | $502 |
| Walnut Creek (this city) | $80 | $85 | $474 |
| Berkeley | $54 | $85 | $149 |
| Livermore | $51 | $85 | $302 |
| Stanford | $80 | $80 | $356 |
| Palo Alto | $80 | $80 | $299 |
| Irvine | $68 | $80 | $373 |
| Redwood City | $65 | $80 | $221 |
| Menlo Park | $80 | $80 | $188 |
| Costa Mesa | $80 | $80 | $80 |
| Sunnyvale | $80 | $80 | $340 |
| Modesto | $73 | $80 | $340 |
| Alameda | $80 | $80 | $120 |
| Laguna Hills | $35 | $80 | $347 |
| Fountain Valley | $60 | $80 | $181 |
| Fullerton | $64 | $80 | $385 |
| Burlingame | $80 | $80 | $1,052 |
| Emeryville | $80 | $80 | $80 |
| Castro Valley | $45 | $80 | $108 |
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 lumbar spine compare to related procedures in California?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $55 | $85 | $654 | 9,774 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $75 | $80 | $505 | 10,126 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $70 | $85 | $672 | 15,496 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $25 | $85 | $521 | 10,242 |
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 — Lower Back MRI Costs in Walnut Creek
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Walnut Creek without insurance?
How much more does a new patient consultation cost compared to a follow-up in Walnut Creek?
Are there lower-cost Lower Back MRI options in cities near Walnut Creek?
How do I find a highly rated, affordable Lower Back MRI in Walnut Creek?
What should I expect to pay for a Lower Back MRI visit in Walnut Creek with insurance?
How many Lower Back MRIs are currently practicing in Walnut Creek?
Find an Affordable Lower Back MRI in Walnut Creek — Powered by AI
Finding the right Lower Back MRI provider in Walnut Creek requires balancing cost, quality, and convenience factors specific to your situation. Our AI-powered cost analysis can help you compare real insurance rates, identify in-network options, and connect with highly rated providers in your area.
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 lumbar spine without contrast (CPT 72148) in Walnut Creek, 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 72148, Walnut Creek, 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.