Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Hawaii
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Hawaii's unique island geography creates significant healthcare cost variations, with Lower Back MRI services averaging 68% above national rates due to limited provider networks and shipping costs for medical equipment. Patients typically pay between $85 and $577 for Lower Back MRI visits, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $457 based on negotiated insurance rates. Hawaii maintains 99 active Lower Back MRI providers across its island chain, though availability varies significantly between urban Oahu and the neighbor islands where patients can browse all providers in Hawaii.
Average
$373
Median
$457
Lowest
$85
Highest
$577
Providers
99
3% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Hawaii?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $88 | $628 | $1,014 | 99 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $75 | $387 | $505 | 106 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $80 | $193 | $766 | 99 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $67 | $315 | $348 | 114 |
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.
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 Lower Back MRI Visit Costs Vary Across Hawaii
Hawaii's healthcare costs run approximately 16% above national averages, driven by the state's isolated island geography and dependence on imported medical equipment and supplies. The limited provider pool across six main islands creates natural monopolies in specialized services like advanced imaging, contributing to higher negotiated rates with insurers.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Oahu's urban core around Honolulu contains the majority of Hawaii's Lower Back MRI providers, while neighbor islands like Molokai and Lanai have extremely limited or no local imaging services. Patients on outer islands often must travel to Oahu for specialized imaging, adding significant travel and lodging costs to their healthcare expenses. This geographic disparity creates a two-tiered pricing system where convenience and access command premium rates.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging centers dominate Hawaii's market, with major health systems like Hawaii Pacific Health and Kaiser Permanente controlling most advanced imaging equipment. Independent radiology practices face higher equipment and maintenance costs due to Hawaii's remote location and limited technical support infrastructure. Shipping and importing medical equipment to the islands adds 15-25% to operational costs compared to mainland facilities.
Insurance Market Competition in Hawaii
Hawaii's insurance landscape is concentrated among three major players - HMSA (BCBS), UnitedHealthcare, and Kaiser Permanente - limiting competitive pressure on negotiated rates. HMSA's dominant market position across all islands gives them significant negotiating power, while Kaiser's integrated model controls costs through internal networks. Limited insurer competition allows providers to maintain higher rates than more competitive mainland markets.
Physician Supply and Demand in Hawaii
Hawaii's 99 active Lower Back MRI providers serve a population of 1.4 million, indicating adequate supply in urban areas but significant shortages on neighbor islands. The state struggles to recruit and retain radiologists due to high living costs and professional isolation from mainland medical communities. This supply-demand imbalance allows existing providers to maintain premium pricing, particularly for specialized services like spine imaging.
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 Hawaii
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Hawaii without insurance?
Does Hawaii Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Hawaii?
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 Lower Back MRI visit in Hawaii?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Hawaii?
Click a state to compare costs
Average Visit Cost
Office visit (CPT 72148)
Compare With Other States
| Rank | State | Average↓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska Range: $73 – $2,851 | $1,925 |
| 2 | Montana Range: $73 – $2,851 | $1,097 |
| 3 | Washington Range: $65 – $2,851 | $1,095 |
| 4 | Idaho Range: $65 – $2,851 | $1,068 |
| 5 | North Dakota Range: $145 – $2,450 | $987 |
| 6 | Minnesota Range: $88 – $2,450 | $969 |
| 7 | Wisconsin Range: $73 – $1,477 | $577 |
| 8 | Georgia Range: $69 – $949 | $416 |
| 9 | Nevada Range: $102 – $750 | $400 |
| 10 | Hawaii Range: $85 – $577 | $373 |
| 11 | Louisiana Range: $60 – $702 | $372 |
| 12 | Massachusetts Range: $74 – $590 | $344 |
| 13 | Maine Range: $116 – $659 | $344 |
| 14 | New Mexico Range: $62 – $720 | $323 |
| 15 | Wyoming Range: $65 – $663 | $320 |
| 16 | Nebraska Range: $129 – $477 | $310 |
| 17 | Colorado Range: $65 – $663 | $305 |
| 18 | Oregon Range: $88 – $447 | $301 |
| 19 | Utah Range: $65 – $603 | $298 |
| 20 | South Dakota Range: $142 – $368 | $293 |
| 21 | West Virginia Range: $79 – $418 | $289 |
| 22 | New Hampshire Range: $85 – $579 | $288 |
| 23 | North Carolina Range: $72 – $572 | $285 |
| 24 | Iowa Range: $85 – $513 | $284 |
| 25 | Illinois Range: $76 – $553 | $271 |
| 26 | Indiana Range: $64 – $554 | $269 |
| 27 | Vermont Range: $63 – $583 | $267 |
| 28 | Rhode Island Range: $65 – $527 | $261 |
| 29 | District of Columbia Range: $59 – $527 | $259 |
| 30 | Michigan Range: $67 – $527 | $258 |
| 31 | Tennessee Range: $72 – $499 | $253 |
| 32 | Virginia Range: $49 – $553 | $253 |
| 33 | Kentucky Range: $64 – $516 | $249 |
| 34 | Kansas Range: $71 – $502 | $244 |
| 35 | New York Range: $53 – $529 | $243 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania Range: $55 – $527 | $238 |
| 37 | South Carolina Range: $63 – $465 | $229 |
| 38 | Alabama Range: $59 – $452 | $223 |
| 39 | Oklahoma Range: $61 – $473 | $222 |
| 40 | Texas Range: $65 – $447 | $220 |
| 41 | New Jersey Range: $52 – $459 | $218 |
| 42 | Missouri Range: $76 – $415 | $218 |
| 43 | Maryland Range: $29 – $447 | $217 |
| 44 | Ohio Range: $49 – $457 | $214 |
| 45 | California Range: $72 – $470 | $213 |
| 46 | Mississippi Range: $58 – $447 | $213 |
| 47 | Delaware Range: $66 – $363 | $211 |
| 48 | Connecticut Range: $55 – $456 | $206 |
| 49 | Arkansas Range: $72 – $380 | $205 |
| 50 | Florida Range: $35 – $473 | $189 |
| 51 | Arizona Range: $65 – $356 | $181 |