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Knee MRI Cost in Seattle, WA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a knee mri cost in Seattle, WA?

You could pay $274 or $288 for the same knee mri in Seattle, WA — depending entirely on which facility you choose. The median cash price across 6 reporting hospitals is $276. This data comes directly from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.

Seattle, WA prices for a knee mri span 2.9× across 6 reporting hospitals, from $242 (KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL) up to $691 (KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL) for identical care. The median Seattle, WA price is $276. Most facilities fall between $272 and $288. There's a gap between the sticker and the real price here: a median cash quote of $276 sits above the $276 insurers negotiate.

Hospital MRI costs run 2–5× more than independent imaging centers. Most patients never knew they had a choice.

The free toolkit shows you:

  • ✓ Why the exact same scan costs $400 at one site and $2,200 at another
  • ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
  • ✓ When contrast adds a charge — and when to ask if you need it
  • ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that protect you from surprise bills
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients — takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll email it to you immediately. No account required, no spam.

Forecast your out-of-pocket cost

How prices are distributed across Seattle, WA hospitals:
  • Lower-cost hospitals (bottom 25%): under $272
  • Median hospital: $276
  • Higher-cost hospitals (top 30%): $288+
Example — two commercially insured patients in Seattle:
  • Patient A (higher-rate plan or out-of-network): ~$288
  • Patient B (lower-rate in-network plan): ~$274
Same procedure. Same week. $14 difference.

Where knee mri costs vary in Seattle, WA

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Hospital (below avg) Hospital (above avg) Click a pin for details.

See every Seattle, WA hospital's price

The 5 cheapest are shown. Enter your email to reveal the rest of the map and unlock all 1 remaining facilities — instantly.

We'll email you the full Seattle, WA price list as a PDF. Sourced from CMS files. No spam.

Estimate YOUR exact out-of-pocket cost →

Cheapest Knee MRI Providers in Seattle, WA

Based on declared cash/self-pay prices from CMS hospital price transparency files.

# Facility City Price vs Median
1 Providence Health And Services - Washington Everett, WA $271 -$5
2 Swedish Health Services Seattle, WA $276 +$0
3 Swedish Health Services Issaquah, WA $277 +$1
4 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle, WA $299 +$23
5 Alliance for South Sound Health Tacoma, WA $691 +$415

Prices are declared self-pay rates. Contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.

→ Compare all procedure costs   → Knee MRI costs nationwide

Check YOUR hospital's pricing → Estimate YOUR exact cost →

Worth knowing: A small number of hospitals report very high prices above $327, which pulls the overall range wider than what most patients encounter. The typical range above is a better guide for planning.
Every hospital in this dataset offers a cash price — with a median of $276. If your deductible hasn't been met, always ask for the self-pay rate before scheduling.

What you'll actually pay — example scenarios

Your situation Estimated out-of-pocket
Deductible not yet met (pay in full) ~$276
Deductible met — 20% coinsurance ~$55
Out-of-network provider $607+

Based on the state median facility price of $276. Your actual cost depends on your plan deductible, coinsurance rate, and network tier. Get YOUR personalized estimate →

What this means for you

If you haven't met your deductible, you are effectively a cash-pay patient.

That means:

  • You should verify your hospital is in-network before an elective visit when possible
  • The cheapest facility can save you $34+ vs. the median.

This is the single biggest lever most patients have to reduce their cost.

Lower-cost options in Seattle, WA start around $272 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $272 and $294. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.

If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: Providence Health And Services - Washington in Everett (cash price from $271); Swedish Health Services in Seattle (cash price from $276); Swedish Health Services in Issaquah (cash price from $277). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Quick decision guide:
  • Best value hospitals (lowest prices): KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL: $242; Providence Health And Services - Washington: $271; Swedish Health Services: $276
  • Most expensive (outpatient): Alliance for South Sound Health: ~$691; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: ~$299

→ Choosing the right facility can save $34+ vs. the state median.

Seattle, WA Knee MRI prices by facility

All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.

How we calculate "Your Price" — We prioritize the most actionable price in this order:
  1. Cash price — the self-pay rate you can actually negotiate and pay
  2. Negotiated rate — if reported by the hospital across insurance contracts
  3. Gross charge — fallback only; this is the inflated list price few people pay

This reflects the real prices patients encounter — not inflated chargemaster rates.

# Facility City Your Price vs Median Gross Charge
#1 KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL WA $242 -$34 $242–$3,500
#2 Providence Health And Services - Washington Everett, WA $271 -$5 $271–$892
#3 Swedish Health Services Seattle, WA $276 +$0 $276–$907
#4 Swedish Health Services Issaquah, WA $277 +$1 $277–$910
#5 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle, WA $299 +$23 $299–$641
#6 Alliance for South Sound Health Tacoma, WA $691 +$415 $691–$2,259

Unlock all 1 remaining Seattle, WA hospitals

Enter your email to reveal the full table instantly — and we'll email you the complete price list as a PDF to keep.

We'll email you the full Seattle, WA price list as a PDF. Sourced from CMS files. No spam.

Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →

Compare other procedures in Seattle, WA:

Where you can save the most on knee mri in Seattle, WA

These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Facility City Your Price vs Median
KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL WA $242 -$34
Providence Health And Services - Washington Everett, WA $271 -$5
Swedish Health Services Seattle, WA $276 +$0
Swedish Health Services Issaquah, WA $277 +$1
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle, WA $299 +$23

How to choose a lower-cost facility

  • Choose independent outpatient centers when possible — freestanding ASCs (ambulatory surgical centers) consistently charge less than hospital outpatient departments for identical procedures.
  • Ask for the cash price if your deductible isn't met — self-pay rates are often lower than what insurance pays before your deductible is satisfied, especially at facilities that have a high cash-price discount.
  • Avoid hospital outpatient departments for routine cases — hospital-owned locations add a facility fee that freestanding centers don't charge, often adding $500–$1,500 to the same procedure.
Important: Many procedures are done at ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) that are often 30–60% cheaper than hospital outpatient departments with the same clinical quality. Most ASCs are not in this hospital dataset — meaning your cheapest option may not even appear here. Ask your doctor if the procedure can be done at a freestanding ASC.

Most expensive knee mri providers in Seattle, WA

These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.

Facility City Price vs Median
Alliance for South Sound Health Tacoma, WA $691 +$415
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Seattle, WA $299 +$23
Swedish Health Services Issaquah, WA $277 +$1
Swedish Health Services Seattle, WA $276 +$0
Providence Health And Services - Washington Everett, WA $271 -$5

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (1) report very high prices above $327, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Setting drives much of the gap in Seattle, WA: the median outpatient price is $276 versus $242 inpatient, so where a procedure is performed often matters more than which hospital you choose. Of the Seattle, WA facilities reporting prices, 2 fall in a low-cost tier (up to $272) while 2 sit in a high-cost tier ($294 and up) — a lower-priced option almost always exists within the same state.

The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.

Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it

How insurance changes what you actually pay

Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.

Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)

Compare knee mri costs in nearby states

Frequently asked questions: knee mri costs in Seattle, WA

How much does a knee mri cost in Seattle, WA?

Across 6 Seattle, WA hospitals that publish prices, a knee mri ranges from $242 to $691, with a median of $276. Most facilities fall between $272 and $288. 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 Seattle, WA?

Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Seattle, WA data is KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL HOSPITAL at about $242. By metro, Seattle has the lowest median ($288). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and 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 Seattle, WA hospitals?

Prices vary up to 2.9× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Seattle, WA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $276 versus a median negotiated rate of $276 — about 1× higher. Asking for the cash price or 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 Seattle, WA?

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.

Explore all knee mri cost data

→ See knee mri costs across all states

Where You Get a Knee MRI Matters

Hospital outpatient departments typically charge 2–4× more than ASCs or independent centers for the same procedure — same outcome, very different bill.

Hospital Outpatient Department

Hospital Outpatient Department typically carries a higher price for a knee mri. Facility fee billed separately from professional fee. Provider-based billing adds facility overhead. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Independent Imaging Center

Independent Imaging Center typically carries the lowest typical price for a knee mri. Freestanding radiology centers. Technical component billed by center; professional (radiologist read) billed separately. You can shop here — call ahead and ask for a self-pay or cash quote.

Emergency Room Knee MRI

A Knee MRI performed in the emergency department can run 2–5× the cost of the identical scan at an outpatient or independent facility, because a hospital facility fee stacks on top. Use the ER only when the situation is medically urgent — it is not a setting where you can shop on price.

Knee MRI Cost With vs Without Contrast

Which type your doctor orders changes the billing code — and what you pay. Here's how the common types differ.

MRI Knee Without Contrast

A standard knee mri with no contrast dye — the most common and lowest-cost version.

MRI Knee With Contrast

Uses contrast dye to highlight tissue. The dye and its administration are billed on top of the base scan.

MRI Knee With and Without Contrast

Two sets of images — before and after contrast — in one visit. It costs more than either alone because both sequences are performed and interpreted.

This Procedure Is Shoppable — Choosing the Right Facility Can Save Thousands

Knee MRI is elective and schedulable. You have time to compare facilities — and hospital outpatient prices often run 2–4× higher than Hospital OP, Imaging Center for identical clinical outcomes.

How to shop: Ask your doctor for the CPT code, then call 2–3 facilities and request an out-of-pocket cost estimate. Confirm your insurance is accepted. If uninsured, ask for the cash-pay rate — it's usually 20–50% below the list price.

Prior Authorization Is Usually Required

Most commercial and Medicare Advantage plans require pre-approval for knee mri before scheduling. If your doctor submits the order without prior authorization — or if the authorization lapses — your insurer can deny the entire claim, leaving you responsible for the full cost.

Action step: Call the member services number on your insurance card before scheduling. Ask: "Does this procedure require prior authorization?" Get the authorization number in writing and confirm it's attached to the claim before your appointment.

Who performs this: Knee MRI is typically performed by a Radiology. The specialist's professional fee is billed separately from the facility charge — you will likely receive separate bills from each.

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. If you've received a bill for this procedure:
→ Analyze your medical bill for errors
→ How to negotiate your medical bills
→ Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account)

Hospital MRI costs run 2–5× more than independent imaging centers. Most patients never knew they had a choice.

The free toolkit shows you:

  • ✓ Why the exact same scan costs $400 at one site and $2,200 at another
  • ✓ The separate radiologist bill most patients miss (and how to verify it's in-network)
  • ✓ When contrast adds a charge — and when to ask if you need it
  • ✓ The questions to ask before scheduling that protect you from surprise bills
  • ✓ A real patient billing breakdown, line by line

Free for patients — takes 30 seconds to get.

We'll email it to you immediately. No account required, no spam.

Other Procedure Costs in Seattle, WA

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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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Published June 12, 2026

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