Out-of-Pocket Costs
Does Insurance or Medicare Cover an MRI? What Is and Isn't Covered
How deductibles, coinsurance, prior authorization and Medicare Part B decide what you pay for an MRI, and when a scan is not covered at all.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
Self-pay prices, what insurance and Medicare cover, and ways to finance a scan.
An MRI is one of the most unevenly priced services in American health care. The same scan of the same knee can cost a few hundred dollars at one freestanding imaging center and several thousand at a hospital outpatient department a few miles away. This section explains why, and what you can do about it.
You will find illustrative price ranges by body part and provider type, an explanation of the deductible, coinsurance and prior authorization rules that determine your share when you have insurance, what Original Medicare and Medicaid cover, and how to use the Good Faith Estimate that federal law gives to self-pay patients. We also cover payment plans, medical credit, HSAs and FSAs.
Every dollar figure on this site is an example unless a source is named, because prices change by market and by year. Start with the cost guide, then read the coverage guide, and use the calculators to turn the ranges into a number that fits your situation.
Guides in this topic
Out-of-Pocket Costs
Good Faith Estimate for an MRI: Your Right to a Price in Writing
How the No Surprises Act Good Faith Estimate works for self-pay MRI patients: when you must get it, what it lists, and the $400 dispute rule.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
MRI Cost by Body Part: Knee, Spine, Brain, Shoulder and Contrast
How the body area, contrast dye and number of regions change what an MRI costs, with CPT codes to quote when you shop for a price.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
MRI Cost by State and Provider Type: Why Your Zip Code Matters
Why private MRI prices differ by state, city and provider type, and how to find real local prices instead of relying on national averages.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
MRI Payment Plans and Financing Options: How to Pay Over Time
Compare in-house payment plans, medical credit cards, HSAs, FSAs and charity care so you can spread an MRI bill without paying avoidable interest.
Out-of-Pocket Costs
Private MRI Scan Cost: Average Out-of-Pocket Prices (2026)
What a self-pay MRI costs in the U.S., why prices range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and how to get the lowest all-in price in writing.