Cost of a Lower Back MRI Visit
in Wyoming
Reviewed by Momentary Medical Group West PC
Wyoming's sparse population of 580,000 residents is served by 186 Lower Back MRI providers across the state's vast 97,813 square miles, creating unique access challenges in America's least populous state. Patients typically pay between $65 and $663 for Lower Back MRI services, with a median out-of-pocket cost of $233 based on actual insurance negotiated rates. Despite Wyoming's rural geography, patients can browse all available Lower Back MRI providers throughout the state to find affordable, quality care options.
Average
$320
Median
$233
Lowest
$65
Highest
$663
Providers
186
16% below national average
Compare Similar Procedures
How does mri lumbar spine compare to related procedures in Wyoming?
| Procedure | CPT | Low | Median | High | Providers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI Brain MRI of the brain with and without contrast | 70553 | $100 | $400 | $1,112 | 183 |
| MRI Knee MRI of the knee without contrast | 73721 | $59 | $253 | $697 | 183 |
| CT Abdomen & Pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis with contrast | 74177 | $80 | $303 | $814 | 187 |
| CT Chest CT scan of the chest with contrast | 71260 | $54 | $210 | $598 | 184 |
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 Wyoming
Wyoming's Lower Back MRI costs run approximately 15% below national averages despite the state's rural challenges, reflecting lower facility overhead and physician compensation compared to coastal markets. The state's unique combination of energy industry workers with robust health benefits and significant uninsured rural populations creates distinct pricing pressures across different provider networks.
Urban vs. Rural Provider Availability
Cheyenne and Casper contain the majority of Wyoming's Lower Back MRI specialists, while vast rural counties may have no local options, forcing patients to travel 100+ miles for care. This geographic concentration allows urban practices to maintain higher volumes and more competitive pricing, while rural facilities face higher per-patient overhead costs.
Facility Type and Overhead Costs
Hospital-based outpatient clinics affiliated with Wyoming Medical Center or Cheyenne Regional Medical Center typically charge premium rates due to facility fees and higher operational costs. Independent Lower Back MRI practices and specialty clinics often provide identical services at 30-50% lower costs, though they may have longer wait times due to popularity.
Insurance Market Competition in Wyoming
The limited insurer competition between BCBS Wyoming, UnitedHealthcare, and Cigna creates less aggressive rate negotiations compared to states with dozens of health plans. This concentrated market structure can result in higher negotiated rates for Lower Back MRI services, though it also provides more predictable coverage policies across the state.
Physician Supply and Demand in Wyoming
With 186 active Lower Back MRI providers serving Wyoming's 580,000 residents, the state maintains adequate specialist availability in urban areas but significant gaps in frontier regions. This supply-demand imbalance allows urban specialists to maintain stable pricing while creating access challenges that may require patients to consider telehealth consultations or travel to neighboring states.
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 Wyoming
What is the average cost of a Lower Back MRI visit in Wyoming without insurance?
Does Wyoming Medicaid cover Lower Back MRI visits?
How do I find an affordable Lower Back MRI near me in Wyoming?
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 Wyoming?
How does telemedicine affect the cost of seeing a Lower Back MRI in Wyoming?
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 |