MRI Brain Cost in Massachusetts (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a mri brain cost in Massachusetts?
What an mri brain in Massachusetts costs depends on your coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $686–$2,934, facility and physician fees combined. Medicare pays one national rate to every provider, and you generally owe about 20% of it (around $71) after the Part B deductible. Without insurance, posted hospital cash prices run $285–$5,154. The sections below break this down by coverage and by insurer. This estimate is based on CMS fee schedules and hospital price transparency data published under federal law.
Three low-priced facilities in Massachusetts, from hospital price files
- Saint Anne's Hospital, Lifespan of Massachusetts - Fall River Inc · Fall River, MA $285
- Anna Jaques Hospital · Newburyport, MA $285
- Sturdy Memorial Hospital · Attleboro, MA $418
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 62 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where mri brain costs vary in Massachusetts
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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Cheapest MRI Brain Providers in Massachusetts
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 | $216 | -$000 |
| 2 | Saint Anne's Hospital, Lifespan of Massachusetts - Fall River Inc | Fall River, MA | $285 | -$1,134 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $214 | -$000 |
| 4 | Anna Jaques Hospital | Newburyport, MA | $285 | -$1,134 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $212 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $211 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MA | $210 | -$000 |
| 8 | Sturdy Memorial Hospital | Attleboro, MA | $418 | -$1,001 |
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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 62 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
- Morton Hospital and Medical Center, Inc., Lifespan of Massachusetts - Taunton Inc is the lowest-cost option at $285 - $1,134 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) | 45 | $457 to $3,891 | $861 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 72 | $285 to $5,154 | $1,419 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | 34 | $446 to $1,842 | $647 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 31 | $230 to $4,329 | $443 |
| Aetna | 22 | $377 to $4,552 | $1,905 |
| Cigna | 16 | $858 to $4,516 | $4,456 |
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 an MRI Brain cost with Medicare in Massachusetts?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for MRI Brain 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 an MRI Brain cost with insurance in Massachusetts?
Across 45 Massachusetts hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for MRI Brain average $457 to $3,891 per hospital, with a median near $861. 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 an MRI Brain cost without insurance in Massachusetts?
Cash (self-pay) prices for MRI Brain at 72 Massachusetts hospitals range from $285 to $5,154, 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 an MRI Brain cost with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts negotiated rates for MRI Brain at 34 Massachusetts hospitals range from $446 to $1,842, with a median near $647. 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 an MRI Brain cost with UnitedHealthcare in Massachusetts?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for MRI Brain at 31 Massachusetts hospitals range from $230 to $4,329, with a median near $443. 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 an MRI Brain cost with Aetna in Massachusetts?
Aetna negotiated rates for MRI Brain at 22 Massachusetts hospitals range from $377 to $4,552, with a median near $1,905. 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 an MRI Brain cost with Cigna in Massachusetts?
Cigna negotiated rates for MRI Brain at 16 Massachusetts hospitals range from $858 to $4,516, with a median near $4,456. 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 where you go changes what you pay for mri brain
The same mri brain bundles different services depending on the setting - facility fee, surgeon fee, and anesthesia each arrive as separate bills. Estimated ranges below reflect the typical full bundled cost, including all expected charges.
- Facility fee $101–$5,713
- Professional fee $300–$1,300
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $101–$5,713
- Professional fee $300–$1,300
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- technical_component $232–$483
- professional_interpretation $123–$328
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
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.
Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go → Managing more than one bill? See the family tracker →
Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $1,717 versus $1,986 inpatient (about 1.2× 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.
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 | ~$1,541 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$308 |
| Out-of-network provider | $3,390+ |
Frequently asked questions: MRI Brain costs in Massachusetts
How much does an MRI Brain cost in Massachusetts?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $285, with most facilities between $230 and $822 (based on 69 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $101 to $10,143 across all 62 Massachusetts 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 an MRI Brain in Massachusetts?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Massachusetts data is Holyoke Medical Center in Holyoke at about $101. 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 an MRI Brain so much cheaper at some Massachusetts hospitals?
Prices vary up to 100.4× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Massachusetts, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,419 versus a median negotiated rate of $861 - about 1.6× 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 an MRI Brain in Massachusetts?
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 Massachusetts
MRI Brain, 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 mri brain - 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 mri brain changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard mri brain with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
MRI Brain 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 mri brain 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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