MRI Knee Cost in Missouri (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a mri knee cost in Missouri?
What an mri knee in Missouri costs depends on your coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $375–$1,825, 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 $224–$2,580. 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 Missouri, from hospital price files
- Carroll County Memorial Hospital · Carrollton, MO $237
- St Marys Medical Center $237
- Boone Hospital Center · Columbia, MO $238
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 81 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where mri knee costs vary in Missouri
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 Knee Providers in Missouri
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $318 | -$000 |
| 2 | Carroll County Memorial Hospital | Carrollton, MO | $237 | -$949 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $316 | -$000 |
| 4 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $315 | -$000 |
| 5 | St Marys Medical Center | MO | $237 | -$949 |
| 6 | Boone Hospital Center | Columbia, MO | $238 | -$948 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $312 | -$000 |
| 8 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, MO | $311 | -$000 |
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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 81 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
- Ellett Memorial Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $227 - $959 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 $1,186, 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 $712 | $356 |
| With insurance (commercial, average) | 62 | $316 to $2,393 | $1,044 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 86 | $224 to $2,580 | $1,186 |
| Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield | 56 | $203 to $2,842 | $829 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 50 | $298 to $2,346 | $918 |
| Cigna | 36 | $260 to $2,945 | $708 |
| Aetna | 34 | $397 to $3,302 | $1,293 |
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 Knee cost with Medicare in Missouri?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for MRI Knee is about $266 to $712 (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 Knee cost with insurance in Missouri?
Across 62 Missouri hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for MRI Knee average $316 to $2,393 per hospital, with a median near $1,044. 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 Knee cost without insurance in Missouri?
Cash (self-pay) prices for MRI Knee at 86 Missouri hospitals range from $224 to $2,580, with a median of $1,186. 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 Knee cost with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri?
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 56 Missouri hospitals range from $203 to $2,842, with a median near $829. 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 Knee cost with UnitedHealthcare in Missouri?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 50 Missouri hospitals range from $298 to $2,346, with a median near $918. 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 Knee cost with Cigna in Missouri?
Cigna negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 36 Missouri hospitals range from $260 to $2,945, with a median near $708. 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 an MRI Knee cost with Aetna in Missouri?
Aetna negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 34 Missouri hospitals range from $397 to $3,302, with a median near $1,293. 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 where you go changes what you pay for mri knee
The same mri knee 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 $203–$4,663
- Professional fee $311–$1,564
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $227–$3,327
- Professional fee $311–$1,564
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- technical_component $292–$608
- professional_interpretation $112–$300
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
BJC HealthCare, SSM Health, Mercy Health, and CoxHealth divide Missouri roughly by region, with meaningful inter-system competition in both St. Louis and Kansas City. Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJC) is the dominant academic medical center. Rural Missouri - particularly the Ozarks - has significant critical access hospital coverage where pricing structures differ from PPS hospitals. Knee MRI is one of the most commonly ordered orthopedic imaging studies and one of the clearest examples of site-of-service pricing: the identical scan costs $200–$500 at an independent imaging center and $1,500–$3,500 at a hospital outpatient department. Most knee MRIs are ordered non-urgently after an orthopedic consultation, giving patients time to compare prices across freestanding centers before scheduling. Contrast is rarely needed for routine knee MRI.
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Why prices vary - and what it means for your coverage
A small number of hospitals (1) report prices above $4,259, including Phelps Health at $4,663, which drives most of the overall spread - excluding them, most facilities cluster in a much tighter band. Setting matters too: the median outpatient price is $1,131 versus $1,434 inpatient (about 1.3× 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.
On top of the facility price, your actual bill depends on your deductible, your out-of-pocket maximum, and whether every provider involved - not just the facility - is in-network.
| Your situation | Estimated out-of-pocket |
|---|---|
| Deductible not yet met | ~$1,299 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$260 |
| Out-of-network provider | $2,858+ |
Frequently asked questions: MRI Knee costs in Missouri
How much does an MRI Knee cost in Missouri?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $199, with most facilities between $131 and $238 (based on 81 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $105 to $14,902 across all 81 Missouri 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 Knee in Missouri?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Missouri data is Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau at about $203. By metro, Kansas City has the lowest median ($206). 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 Knee so much cheaper at some Missouri hospitals?
Prices vary up to 141.9× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Missouri, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,186 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,044 - about 1.1× 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 Knee in Missouri?
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
- Understanding your UnitedHealthcare EOB
Other procedures in Missouri
MRI Knee, 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 knee - 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 knee changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard mri knee with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
MRI Knee 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 knee 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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