How much does MRI lumbar spine, without contrast cost in Tucson, AZ?
CPT 72148 — the fair price, every hospital's price, and the Medicare benchmark for Tucson, AZ.
| Facility | Type | Price | vs Medicare | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banner University Medical Center South (Tucson) lowest | Hospital | $430cash | 1.8× | — |
| Banner University Medical Center Tucson | Hospital | $562cash | 2.3× | — |
| Tucson Medical Center | Hospital | $1,478cash | 6.1× | hip/knee complications 4.2% |
| Northwest Medical Center (Tucson) | Hospital | $3,576cash | 14.8× | hip/knee complications 3.8% |
| Northwest Medical Center Houghton (Tucson) | Hospital | $3,874cash | 16.0× | — |
| Oro Valley Hospital (Oro Valley) | Hospital | $4,172cash | 17.3× | hip/knee complications 5.3% |
| Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital (Nogales) | Hospital | $6,595cash | 27.3× | — |
| Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital (Tucson) | Hospital | $6,595cash | 27.3× | hip/knee complications 4.1% |
| Carondelet St. Mary's Hospital (Tucson) | Hospital | $6,595cash | 27.3× | hip/knee complications 4.5% |
What should 72148 cost in Tucson, AZ?
For MRI lumbar spine, without contrast (CPT 72148) in Tucson, AZ, a fair self-pay price is around $3,874, with hospitals ranging from $1,020 to $6,595 across 9 facilities. Medicare's benchmark rate is $242, the benchmark every published rate is measured against. The card above lists each hospital's price, cheapest first, with CMS quality stars.
Frequently asked questions
How much does MRI lumbar spine, without contrast cost in Tucson, AZ?
A fair self-pay price for MRI lumbar spine, without contrast (CPT 72148) in Tucson, AZ is around $3,874, with hospital prices ranging from $1,020 to $6,595 across 9 facilities. These are estimates from hospital-published prices, not a guarantee.
What is the Medicare rate for CPT 72148?
Medicare pays about $242 for MRI lumbar spine, without contrast (CPT 72148). That's the negotiation floor — a fair cash-pay target is roughly 1.5–2× it, well below typical gross charges.
Can I negotiate the price of MRI lumbar spine, without contrast?
Yes. Under the federal Hospital Price Transparency rule hospitals must publish these rates, so you can ask to pay the cash or negotiated rate instead of the gross charge. Paste your bill on the home page for a ready-to-send appeal letter and the exact numbers to cite.
Placing a referral for this?
Enter the patient's ZIP and plan in the facility finder to see every facility near them that publishes a price for 72148, ranked, with the phone number and an out-of-pocket estimate.
Compare other procedures in Tucson, AZ
Prices last refreshed September 2026 from each hospital's official CMS machine-readable file. Medicare rate: CY2025 OPPS/PFS/CLFS. Estimates only — not a guarantee.