Knee MRI Cost in Nashville, TN (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay
What does a knee mri cost in Nashville, TN?
You could pay $222 or $433 for the same knee mri in Nashville, TN - depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 21 reporting hospitals is $310. This data comes directly 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 Nashville, TN, from hospital price files
- Saint Thomas Regional Hospitals $208
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Lebanon, TN $208
- Saint Thomas Hickman Hospital $262
Free: the typical range and the facilities above. Add your email and we send the full ranked list of all 21 facilities (PDF) plus a checklist of what to ask before you book. We don't sell your information (privacy policy).
Where knee mri costs vary in Nashville, TN
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 Knee MRI Providers in Nashville, TN
Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.
| # | Facility | City | Price | vs Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, TN | $500 | -$000 |
| 2 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, TN | $501 | -$000 |
| 3 | Saint Thomas Regional Hospitals | TN | $208 | -$102 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Lebanon, TN | $208 | -$102 |
| 5 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, TN | $504 | -$000 |
| 6 | Hospital name hidden | Your City, TN | $505 | -$000 |
| 7 | Saint Thomas Hickman Hospital | TN | $262 | -$48 |
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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 21 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
- Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital is the lowest-cost option at $208 - $102 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 $310, 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) | 19 | $355 to $2,538 | $477 |
| Without insurance (cash price) | 22 | $208 to $495 | $310 |
| BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee | 18 | $223 to $568 | $374 |
| Cigna | 17 | $434 to $3,504 | $561 |
| Aetna | 15 | $558 to $590 | $558 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 6 | $373 to $3,591 | $373 |
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 knee mri cost with Medicare in Nashville, TN?
Medicare's national hospital outpatient payment for knee mri 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 a knee mri cost with insurance in Nashville, TN?
Across 19 Nashville, TN hospitals, the negotiated rates commercial insurers pay for knee mri average $355 to $2,538 per hospital, with a median near $477. 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 knee mri cost without insurance in Nashville, TN?
Cash (self-pay) prices for knee mri at 22 Nashville, TN hospitals range from $208 to $495, with a median of $310. 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 knee mri cost with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee in Nashville, TN?
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee negotiated rates for knee mri at 18 Nashville, TN hospitals range from $223 to $568, with a median near $374. 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 knee mri cost with Cigna in Nashville, TN?
Cigna negotiated rates for knee mri at 17 Nashville, TN hospitals range from $434 to $3,504, with a median near $561. 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 knee mri cost with Aetna in Nashville, TN?
Aetna negotiated rates for knee mri at 15 Nashville, TN hospitals range from $558 to $590, with a median near $558. 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 knee mri cost with UnitedHealthcare in Nashville, TN?
UnitedHealthcare negotiated rates for knee mri at 6 Nashville, TN hospitals range from $373 to $3,591, with a median near $373. If a hospital is out of network for your UnitedHealthcare plan, you may owe more than the negotiated rate, so check the network first.
HCA Healthcare, headquartered in Nashville, has significant hospital presence in its home state, creating pricing patterns more aligned with for-profit hospital economics than nonprofit systems in comparable markets. Vanderbilt University Medical Center anchors the Nashville academic tier. Tennessee has not expanded Medicaid under the ACA, maintaining a high uninsured rate that influences facility pricing structures. 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
Facility classification matters as much as the hospital itself - a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. 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 | ~$310 |
| Deductible met - 20% coinsurance | ~$62 |
| Out-of-network provider | $682+ |
Frequently asked questions: knee mri costs in Nashville, TN
How much does a knee mri cost in Nashville, TN?
The typical insurer-negotiated rate is $261, with most facilities between $195 and $433 (based on 22 hospitals reporting negotiated rates). Full market pricing - including cash rates, gross charges, and outlier facilities - ranges more widely, from $201 to $557 across all 21 Nashville, TN 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 knee mri in Nashville, TN?
Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Nashville, TN data is Williamson County Hospital District in Franklin at about $201. By metro, Nashville has the lowest median ($362). 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 knee mri so much cheaper at some Nashville, TN hospitals?
Prices vary up to 2.8× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Nashville, TN, the median cash (self-pay) price is $310 versus a median negotiated rate of $477 - cash is the lower number at many hospitals. 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 knee mri in Nashville, TN?
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 a Medicare Summary Notice
Other procedures in Nashville, TN
Knee 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 knee 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 knee mri changes the billing code, and what you pay. For example: A standard knee mri with no contrast dye - the most common and lowest-cost version.
This is shoppable
Knee 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 knee 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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