Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Vermont
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Vermont's small but tight-knit healthcare market serves 341 active Lower Back MRI providers across the state's rural and urban communities. Patients typically pay between $62.8 and $582.51 for Lower Back MRI services, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $155.55. With Vermont's expanded Medicaid program and dominant insurers like BCBS VT and MVP Health Care negotiating competitive rates, patients can browse all providers throughout the Green Mountain State to find the most affordable care.
Average
$267
Median
$156
Lowest
$63
Highest
$583
Providers
341
30% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Vermont?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $82 | $265 | $983 | 345 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $57 | $167 | $617 | 342 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $73 | $227 | $848 | 354 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $49 | $143 | $516 | 346 |
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 Vermont
Vermont's healthcare costs run approximately 15% above the national average, reflecting the state's rural geography and smaller provider networks that limit competitive pricing pressures. The Green Mountain State's dispersed population creates unique access challenges that influence both availability and cost of specialty services.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Most of Vermont's 341 Lower Back MRI providers cluster around Burlington and Montpelier, leaving rural counties with limited local options and potentially higher travel costs. Patients in the Northeast Kingdom or southern Vermont may need to drive significant distances, making provider selection particularly important for minimizing both direct costs and travel expenses.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient facilities in Vermont often charge facility fees in addition to professional fees, reflecting higher overhead costs at systems like the University of Vermont Medical Center. Independent imaging centers typically offer more transparent pricing without additional facility charges, creating substantial cost differences for the same Lower Back MRI service.
Insurance Market Competition in Vermont
With BCBS VT and MVP Health Care dominating the market, Vermont has limited insurer competition compared to larger states, potentially reducing negotiated rate variation across providers. This concentrated market can lead to more predictable pricing but fewer options for patients seeking competitive rates through different insurance networks.
Physician Supply and Demand in Vermont
Vermont's 341 active Lower Back MRI providers represent a reasonable supply relative to the state's small population, though geographic distribution favors urban areas over rural communities. This supply pattern creates longer wait times and potentially higher costs in underserved regions while maintaining competitive pricing in areas with adequate provider density.
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 Vermont
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Vermont without insurance?
Does Vermont Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Vermont?
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 Vermont?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Vermont?
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 |