Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Maryland
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Maryland's rate-setting hospital system creates unique transparency for Lower Back MRI costs, with negotiated rates ranging from $28.77 to $447.07 across 4,003 active providers throughout the state. The median cost patients encounter is $176.60, though your out-of-pocket expense depends heavily on your insurance plan and deductible status. Maryland residents benefit from this extensive provider network, allowing patients to compare options across urban centers like Baltimore and suburban markets in Montgomery County.
Average
$217
Median
$177
Lowest
$29
Highest
$447
Providers
4,003
43% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Maryland?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $46 | $271 | $737 | 4,016 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $26 | $172 | $457 | 4,019 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $36 | $204 | $594 | 4,071 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $24 | $124 | $335 | 4,048 |
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 Maryland
Maryland's healthcare costs run approximately 13% above the national average, driven by the state's proximity to Washington D.C.'s high-income healthcare market and concentration of academic medical centers. The state's unique hospital rate-setting system provides cost transparency but maintains premium pricing for specialized imaging services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan corridor contains the majority of Maryland's 4,003 Lower Back MRI providers, while rural areas on the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland face significant access challenges requiring patients to travel 30+ miles for imaging services. This geographic concentration drives higher costs in rural areas due to limited competition and transportation barriers.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-owned outpatient imaging centers in Maryland, particularly those affiliated with Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and MedStar systems, typically charge 40-60% more than independent imaging facilities due to higher overhead costs and premium positioning. Freestanding imaging centers often provide identical quality at significantly lower negotiated rates with insurers.
Insurance Market Competition in Maryland
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield maintains dominant market share in Maryland, followed by UnitedHealthcare and Aetna, creating moderate competition that helps contain some imaging costs through negotiated rate pressure. The state's individual marketplace offers additional insurer options, though provider networks can be narrow and may limit Lower Back MRI facility choices.
Physician Supply and Demand in Maryland
Maryland's 4,003 active Lower Back MRI providers indicate robust supply relative to the state's 6.2 million residents, though distribution heavily favors urban and suburban areas over rural counties. This adequate supply in metropolitan areas helps moderate pricing and reduces wait times, while rural residents face both higher costs and longer scheduling delays.
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 Maryland
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Maryland without insurance?
Does Maryland Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Maryland?
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 Maryland?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Maryland?
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 |