Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Indiana
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Indiana's healthcare market benefits from costs running approximately 6% below the national average, making Lower Back MRI services more accessible for Hoosier patients. Lower Back MRI visits in Indiana typically cost between $64 and $554, with a median negotiated rate of $188 based on actual insurer contracts with 334 active providers statewide. Patients across Indiana can browse all Lower Back MRI providers to compare costs and find in-network options.
Average
$269
Median
$188
Lowest
$64
Highest
$554
Providers
334
30% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Indiana?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $85 | $315 | $1,014 | 360 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $59 | $198 | $595 | 374 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $79 | $231 | $687 | 466 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $54 | $152 | $411 | 468 |
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 Indiana
Indiana's healthcare costs run approximately 6% below the national average, making Lower Back MRI services more affordable than in coastal states. The state's mix of urban centers like Indianapolis and vast rural counties creates significant cost and access variations for imaging services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Indianapolis and Fort Wayne offer multiple imaging options with competitive pricing, while rural Indiana counties may have limited facilities requiring longer travel distances. This geographic spread means rural patients often face higher total costs when factoring in travel time and potential overnight stays.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient imaging centers in Indiana typically charge 30-50% more than independent radiology clinics due to higher facility fees and administrative overhead. Major health systems like Indiana University Health and Parkview Health operate numerous hospital-affiliated imaging centers with premium pricing structures.
Insurance Market Competition in Indiana
Indiana's insurance market features moderate competition between Anthem, UHC, and MDwise, leading to reasonable negotiated rates for imaging services. The growing ambulatory surgery center market has increased competition and driven down costs for outpatient procedures including Lower Back MRI.
Physician Supply and Demand in Indiana
With 334 active Lower Back MRI providers serving Indiana's 6.8 million residents, the state maintains adequate radiologist supply in urban areas but faces shortages in rural counties. This balanced supply in metro areas helps keep pricing competitive while rural shortages can drive up costs in underserved regions.
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 Indiana
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Indiana without insurance?
Does Indiana Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Indiana?
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 Indiana?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Indiana?
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 |