Brain MRI Cost in Boston, MA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a brain mri cost in Boston, MA?
Where you have a brain mri done in Boston, MA swings the bill from $637 to $3,159 for identical care. The median cash price across 47 reporting hospitals is $1,419. The numbers are pulled directly from federally mandated hospital price transparency files. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer.
Three low-priced facilities in Boston, MA, from hospital price files
- Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital |Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital $377
- Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth · Plymouth, MA $444
- Boston Medical Center Brighton $449
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 47 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 Boston, MA
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 Boston, MA
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $368 | -$000 |
| 2 | Merrimack Health Methuen Hospital |Merrimack Health Haverhill Hospital | MA | $377 | -$1,042 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $366 | -$000 |
| 4 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $365 | -$000 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $364 | -$000 |
| 6 | Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital - Plymouth | Plymouth, MA | $444 | -$975 |
| 7 | Boston Medical Center Brighton | MA | $449 | -$970 |
| 8 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $361 | -$000 |
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Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.
Email me this price comparison plus what to ask before booking
Sends a PDF with all 47 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
- New England Baptist Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $312 - $1,107 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 $1,419, 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) | 37 | $409 to $3,891 | $1,151 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 53 | $290 to $5,601 | $1,419 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | 27 | $328 to $1,842 | $581 |
| Aetna | 19 | $972 to $4,768 | $4,362 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 17 | $272 to $4,329 | $957 |
| Cigna | 16 | $1,555 to $5,630 | $4,396 |
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 Boston, MA?
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 Boston, MA?
Across 37 Boston, MA hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for brain mri average $409 to $3,891 per hospital, with a median near $1,151. 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 Boston, MA?
Cash (self-pay) prices for brain mri at 53 Boston, MA hospitals range from $290 to $5,601, with a median of $1,419. 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 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts in Boston, MA?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts negotiated rates for brain mri at 27 Boston, MA hospitals range from $328 to $1,842, with a median near $581. 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 Boston, MA?
Aetna negotiated rates for brain mri at 19 Boston, MA hospitals range from $972 to $4,768, with a median near $4,362. 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 UnitedHealthcare in Boston, MA?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for brain mri at 17 Boston, MA hospitals range from $272 to $4,329, with a median near $957. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
How much does a brain mri cost with Cigna in Boston, MA?
Cigna negotiated rates for brain mri at 16 Boston, MA hospitals range from $1,555 to $5,630, with a median near $4,396. If a hospital is out of network for your Cigna plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
Massachusetts has the highest commercial hospital reimbursement rates in the country, driven by extreme labor costs, the dominance of Mass General Brigham (Partners HealthCare), and a regulatory environment that has struggled to contain negotiated rate growth. The state has enacted multiple price transparency and rate growth laws aimed at curbing this pattern. Self-pay cash discounts in Massachusetts tend to be proportionally larger than in other high-cost 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 $1,652 versus $1,706 inpatient, 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.
None of the prices above are what you'll necessarily owe: your deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, and each provider's network status all still apply.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$1,419 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$284 |
| Out-of-network provider | $3,122+ |
Frequently asked questions: brain mri costs in Boston, MA
How much does a brain mri cost in Boston, MA?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $285, with most facilities between $230 and $547 (based on 51 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $157 to $6,891 across all 47 Boston, MA 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 Boston, MA?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Boston, MA data is Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston at about $157. By metro, Boston has the lowest median ($558). 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 Boston, MA hospitals?
Prices vary up to 43.9× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Boston, MA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,419 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,151 - 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 Boston, MA?
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
- How to read your medical bill
- How to stop medical bill problems before they start
- How to negotiate your medical bills
- Allowed amount vs negotiated rate: what your EOB is really saying
- How to read an EOB line by line
Other procedures in Boston, MA
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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