Price Checker / CPT 70551
How much does MRI — brain (no contrast) cost?
CPT 70551 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is roughly 10x the fair price. This is well above fair — push back or dispute it.
Fair price
$290–$590
What this should cost
With insurance
~$75,700
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$740
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $4,551 is $4,111 over the fair price (about 10x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for MRI — brain (no contrast)
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone Hospital Conroe Conroe, TX | $17,270 | — | 8738% |
| Wilson Medical Center WILSON, NC | $10,911 | — | 5484% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Austin Austin, TX | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Bossier City Bossier City, LA | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Huntington Huntington, WV | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Round Rock Round Rock, TX | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Southwest Louisiana Lake Charles, LA | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Tucson Tucson, AZ | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals West Monroe West Monroe, LA | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Solara Specialty Hospital Mcallen Mc Allen, TX | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Solara Specialty Hospitals Brownsville Brownsville, TX | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
| Solara Specialty Hospitals Harlingen Harlingen, TX | $8,060 | — | 4025% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
Send us your bill and we'll compare every line item against Medicare rates and your hospital's published prices. Free review, no obligation.
About MRI — brain (no contrast)
CPT code 70551 refers to mri — brain (no contrast) (billing description: "Mri brain stem w/o dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $195 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $195 in a doctor's office.
The Medicare rate is the closest thing to an objective "what this work is actually worth." A fair cash price for the uninsured is generally 1.5–3x that rate. Hospital sticker (gross) charges are often far higher — but almost nobody actually pays them.
What to do if you were overcharged
- 1Send us your bill — we'll identify this code and compare it against the rates shown above.
- 2Get a dispute letter — citing the Medicare rate and your hospital's own published pricing data.
- 3We negotiate for you — 25% of savings, no savings = no fee.