MRI Knee Cost in North Carolina (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a mri knee cost in North Carolina?
What an mri knee in North Carolina costs depends on your coverage. With commercial insurance it typically runs $564–$2,080, 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 $231–$3,012. 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 North Carolina, from hospital price files
- FIRSTHEALTH OF THE CAROLINAS, INC · Troy, NC $228
- Medical Park Hospital LLC · Winston-Salem, NC $231
- Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center LLC · Charlotte, NC $231
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 69 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 North Carolina
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 North Carolina
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FIRSTHEALTH OF THE CAROLINAS, INC | Troy, NC | $228 | -$1,372 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, NC | $815 | -$000 |
| 3 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, NC | $814 | -$000 |
| 4 | Medical Park Hospital LLC | Winston-Salem, NC | $231 | -$1,369 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, NC | $812 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, NC | $811 | -$000 |
| 7 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, NC | $810 | -$000 |
| 8 | Novant Health Ballantyne Medical Center LLC | Charlotte, NC | $231 | -$1,369 |
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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 69 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
- FIRSTHEALTH OF THE CAROLINAS, INC is the lowest-cost option at $228 - $1,372 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 $1,737, 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) | 60 | $340 to $1,954 | $1,277 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 73 | $231 to $3,012 | $1,737 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | 42 | $808 to $1,960 | $1,325 |
| Cigna | 49 | $247 to $2,825 | $1,446 |
| Aetna | 44 | $861 to $2,581 | $1,232 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 31 | $236 to $2,104 | $1,171 |
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 North Carolina?
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 North Carolina?
Across 60 North Carolina hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for MRI Knee average $340 to $1,954 per hospital, with a median near $1,277. 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 North Carolina?
Cash (self-pay) prices for MRI Knee at 73 North Carolina hospitals range from $231 to $3,012, with a median of $1,737. 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 Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina?
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 42 North Carolina hospitals range from $808 to $1,960, with a median near $1,325. 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 Cigna in North Carolina?
Cigna negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 49 North Carolina hospitals range from $247 to $2,825, with a median near $1,446. 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 North Carolina?
Aetna negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 44 North Carolina hospitals range from $861 to $2,581, with a median near $1,232. 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 Knee cost with UnitedHealthcare in North Carolina?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for MRI Knee at 31 North Carolina hospitals range from $236 to $2,104, with a median near $1,171. 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 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 $45–$7,911
- Professional fee $311–$1,564
Estimated from CMS fee schedules + commercial rate multipliers
- Facility fee $1,342–$7,911
- 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
Atrium Health (formerly Carolinas HealthCare) and Wake Forest Baptist Health have merged into one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the Southeast. Duke Health and UNC Health anchor the Research Triangle academic tier, creating a market where major academic centers hold outsized pricing leverage. North Carolina has been an active target for FTC scrutiny of hospital consolidation. 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 (2) report prices above $4,366, including Central Carolina Hospital at $7,911, 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 $1,544 versus $3,039 inpatient (about 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.
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 | ~$1,713 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$343 |
| Out-of-network provider | $3,769+ |
Frequently asked questions: MRI Knee costs in North Carolina
How much does an MRI Knee cost in North Carolina?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $231, with most facilities between $226 and $236 (based on 78 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $219 to $14,625 across all 69 North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our North Carolina data is Nash Hospitals in Rocky Mount at about $45. By metro, Hendersonville has the lowest median ($254). 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 North Carolina hospitals?
Prices vary up to 66.8× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In North Carolina, the median cash (self-pay) price is $1,737 versus a median negotiated rate of $1,277 - about 1.4× 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 North Carolina?
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 North Carolina
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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