Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Illinois
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Illinois's healthcare market concentration around the Chicago metropolitan area creates significant cost variations for medical imaging services across the state. Lower Back MRI patients typically pay between $76 and $553, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $186 based on negotiated insurance rates. With over 6,000 active Lower Back MRI providers statewide, Illinois offers extensive options for patients seeking spinal imaging services throughout both urban and rural regions.
Average
$271
Median
$186
Lowest
$76
Highest
$553
Providers
6,155
29% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Illinois?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $93 | $317 | $842 | 5,703 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $69 | $221 | $595 | 7,078 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $80 | $289 | $537 | 8,716 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $64 | $167 | $346 | 7,047 |
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 Illinois
Illinois healthcare costs run approximately 10% above the national average, driven largely by Chicago's concentration of academic medical centers and high operational expenses. The state's economic hub creates a two-tier market where downstate regions offer more affordable options compared to the expensive Chicagoland corridor.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Chicago and its suburbs contain the majority of Illinois's advanced MRI facilities, while rural counties often have limited imaging options requiring patients to travel significant distances. This geographic disparity creates cost pressures as rural patients may pay premium rates at the few available local facilities or incur additional travel expenses to reach urban centers.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Major health systems like Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, and University of Chicago Medicine operate numerous hospital-based imaging centers with higher overhead costs reflected in pricing. Independent radiology groups throughout Illinois often provide identical MRI quality at substantially lower rates due to reduced administrative and facility expenses.
Insurance Market Competition in Illinois
The presence of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare, and Aetna creates moderate competition in urban markets, though rural areas may have limited insurer participation. This competitive dynamic in Chicago helps keep negotiated rates reasonable, while less competitive downstate markets may see higher or more variable pricing structures.
Physician Supply and Demand in Illinois
With over 6,000 active Lower Back MRI providers statewide, Illinois maintains adequate radiologist supply in metropolitan areas but faces shortages in rural regions. This abundance in urban centers helps control wait times and pricing, while rural shortages can drive up costs and extend scheduling delays for spinal imaging services.
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 Illinois
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Illinois without insurance?
Does Illinois Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Illinois?
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 Illinois?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Illinois?
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 |