Brain MRI Cost in San Francisco, CA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a brain mri cost in San Francisco, CA?
The same brain mri in San Francisco, CA might cost you $349 at one facility and $3,628 at another - the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 35 reporting hospitals is $2,629. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in San Francisco, CA, from hospital price files
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center · Oakland, CA $339
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp · Berkeley, CA $339
- Mills Health Center · San Mateo, CA $346
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 35 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where brain mri costs vary in San Francisco, CA
Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby imaging centers and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.
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Hospital MRI costs run 2–5× more than independent imaging centers. Most patients never knew they had a choice.
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Cheapest Brain MRI Providers in San Francisco, CA
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $924 | -$000 |
| 2 | Alta Bates Summit Medical Center | Oakland, CA | $339 | -$2,290 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $926 | -$000 |
| 4 | Alta Bates Summit Medical Center - Alta Bates Camp | Berkeley, CA | $339 | -$2,290 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $928 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $929 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, CA | $930 | -$000 |
| 8 | Mills Health Center | San Mateo, CA | $346 | -$2,283 |
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Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
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Sends a PDF with all 35 facilities ranked cheapest first, plus a short checklist of questions that change what you pay. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Before you book: three questions that change the price
- Is this the self-pay price, and does it include the doctor, anesthesia and any lab or pathology? Those are often billed separately.
- Can you give me the price in writing, with the billing codes it covers?
- What happens to the price if something extra is needed during the procedure?
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Quick take
- Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Summit Campus-Hawthorne is the lowest-cost option at $339 - $2,290 below the state median, just by choosing where you go.
- Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met - the median cash price here is $2,629, and it's often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied.
- Independent imaging centers often charge much less than hospital outpatient departments for the same scan and may not appear in this hospital-only dataset - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
| Coverage | Hospitals with a rate | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare (national rate) | — | $266 to $356 | $356 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 29 | $1,106 to $3,108 | $2,143 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 38 | $339 to $5,067 | $2,629 |
| Anthem Blue Cross | 19 | $1,660 to $3,263 | $2,589 |
| Aetna | 18 | $813 to $3,357 | $3,050 |
| Cigna | 18 | $2,655 to $4,640 | $3,164 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 4 | $854 to $2,241 | $2,032 |
Rates are negotiated allowed amounts and cash prices from hospital price-transparency files (October 2026), shown at each hospital’s lowest-priced typical billing code for this procedure. Facility fees only. The typical range is the middle 80% of hospitals, not a quote for your visit.
How much does a brain mri cost with Medicare in San Francisco, CA?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for brain mri is about $266 to $356 (typically near $356). After the $257 Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, about $71 on a $356 payment, with no out-of-pocket cap unless you have supplemental coverage or a Medicare Advantage plan.
Doctor, anesthesia and pathology fees are billed separately. Medicare rates are national CMS amounts, adjusted slightly by local wage levels.
How much does a brain mri cost with insurance in San Francisco, CA?
Across 29 San Francisco, CA hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for brain mri average $1,106 to $3,108 per hospital, with a median near $2,143. That is the amount your plan and you pay the hospital together; you owe your deductible, then coinsurance, up to your out-of-pocket maximum.
Each hospital’s figure is the average of the commercial insurers it lists. Medicare, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid rates are excluded.
How much does a brain mri cost without insurance in San Francisco, CA?
Cash (self-pay) prices for brain mri at 38 San Francisco, CA hospitals range from $339 to $5,067, with a median of $2,629. Ask for the cash or self-pay price and for any financial-assistance discount before you book; both can be lower than the posted price.
Cash prices are the hospital’s published discounted rate for patients paying without insurance.
How much does a brain mri cost with Anthem Blue Cross in San Francisco, CA?
Anthem Blue Cross negotiated rates for brain mri at 19 San Francisco, CA hospitals range from $1,660 to $3,263, with a median near $2,589. Your own cost depends on your plan’s deductible and coinsurance, and on whether the hospital is in your network.
Includes Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem plans listed by each hospital.
How much does a brain mri cost with Aetna in San Francisco, CA?
Aetna negotiated rates for brain mri at 18 San Francisco, CA hospitals range from $813 to $3,357, with a median near $3,050. If a hospital is out of network for your Aetna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a brain mri cost with Cigna in San Francisco, CA?
Cigna negotiated rates for brain mri at 18 San Francisco, CA hospitals range from $2,655 to $4,640, with a median near $3,164. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a brain mri cost with UnitedHealthcare in San Francisco, CA?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for brain mri at 4 San Francisco, CA hospitals range from $854 to $2,241, with a median near $2,032. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
California has the most competitive commercial hospital market in the country, with aggressive multi-system competition in every major metro driving meaningful price variation. Kaiser Permanente's integrated payer-provider model covers roughly 40% of the insured population in the state - if you're Kaiser-enrolled, the prices here largely don't apply. California's robust price transparency enforcement under SB 1204 means the data here is more complete than in most states. Brain MRI pricing follows the same site-of-service pattern as other MRI, with hospital outpatient rates running 4–8× higher than freestanding imaging centers for an identical scan. With-contrast protocols (typically ordered for lesion characterization or post-treatment surveillance) carry a higher CPT code and higher price than non-contrast studies. If ordered as a non-urgent outpatient study, scheduling at a freestanding imaging center is the single most effective way to reduce cost.
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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $2,629 versus $3,628 inpatient (about 1.4× more), so where a procedure happens often matters more than which hospital you pick. Whether the scan happens in a hospital outpatient department (which adds a separate facility fee) or a freestanding imaging center is usually the single biggest driver of price for this procedure.
What you pay out of pocket on top of this depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved is in-network - not just the facility.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$2,629 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$526 |
| Out-of-network provider | $5,784+ |
Frequently asked questions: brain mri costs in San Francisco, CA
How much does a brain mri cost in San Francisco, CA?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $336, with most facilities between $323 and $342 (based on 36 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $231 to $7,026 across all 35 San Francisco, CA hospitals that publish prices. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.
Where is the cheapest place to get a brain mri in San Francisco, CA?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our San Francisco, CA data is Hebrew Home for Aged Disabled DBA Jewish Home at about $231. By metro, Oakland has the lowest median ($339). Independent imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data - ask your doctor whether one is an option.
Why is a brain mri so much cheaper at some San Francisco, CA hospitals?
Prices vary up to 30.4× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In San Francisco, CA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $2,629 versus a median negotiated rate of $2,143 - about 1.2× higher. Asking for the cash price as well as your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.
How much will I actually pay out of pocket for a brain mri in San Francisco, CA?
Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network - not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.
Before you book
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read your medical bill
- Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
- Already have a bill? Check it for errors
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
Other procedures in San Francisco, CA
Brain MRI, elsewhere
What matters before you schedule
Imaging center vs. hospital
Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2-4x more than independent imaging centers for the same brain mri - same outcome, very different bill. The ER charges the most of any setting and should only be used when the situation is medically urgent. Call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote at each setting you're considering.
With vs. without contrast
Which type your doctor orders for this brain mri changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard brain mri with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
Brain MRI is elective and schedulable, so you have time to compare facilities before booking - hospital outpatient prices often run 2-4x higher than alternative settings for the identical clinical outcome.
What to ask before you book
Get the CPT code from your doctor, confirm every provider involved (not just the facility) is in-network, ask for the cash-pay rate if you're uninsured or haven't met your deductible, and request a written estimate for brain mri before you schedule.
CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account).
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About the Author
John Caruso, FSA, MAAA
Healthcare actuary with 20+ years of experience in insurance pricing, medical billing systems, and healthcare cost analytics.
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