Price Checker / CPT 70552
How much does MRI Brain Stem W/dye cost?
CPT 70552 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is roughly 8x the fair price. This is well above fair — push back or dispute it.
Fair price
$400–$810
What this should cost
With insurance
~$87,600
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$1,000
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $4,879 is $4,269 over the fair price (about 8x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for MRI Brain Stem W/dye
From hospital-published transparency (MRF) files. These are the hospitals in our database that list this procedure.
| Hospital | Gross Charge | Cash Rate | vs Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson Medical Center WILSON, NC | $12,210 | — | 4441% |
| Wythe County Community Hospital WYTHEVILLE, VA | $11,340 | — | 4117% |
| Brown County Hospital Ainsworth, NE | $4,114 | — | 2960% |
| Twin County Regional Hospital GALAX, VA | $8,065 | — | 2899% |
| Genoa Medical Facilities Genoa, NE | $3,889 | — | 2646% |
| UPMC Bedford , PA | $6,774 | $5,419 | 2419% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Austin Austin, TX | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Bossier City Bossier City, LA | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Huntington Huntington, WV | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Round Rock Round Rock, TX | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Southwest Louisiana Lake Charles, LA | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Tucson Tucson, AZ | $6,555 | — | 2338% |
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 Stem W/dye
CPT code 70552 refers to mri brain stem w/dye (billing description: "Mri brain stem w/dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $269 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $269 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.