Price Checker / CPT 72156
How much does MRI Neck Spine Without & W/dye cost?
CPT 72156 · Based on 2026 Medicare rates and hospital-published pricing
The average hospital charge is roughly 8.8x the fair price. This is well above fair — push back or dispute it.
Fair price
$480–$950
What this should cost
With insurance
~$102,600
Typical out-of-pocket
Overcharged if over
$1,200
Push back above this
The average hospital charge of $6,317 is $5,597 over the fair price (about 8.8x the fair rate).
What hospitals charge for MRI Neck Spine Without & 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| OHIO VALLEY SURGICAL HOSPITAL SPRINGFIELD, OH | $3,171 | — | 26573% |
| Vaughan Regional Medical Center Parkway Campus Selma, AL | $27,064 | — | 8411% |
| Clinch Valley Health , VA | $21,261 | — | 6586% |
| Twin County Regional Hospital GALAX, VA | $14,939 | — | 4598% |
| Wythe County Community Hospital WYTHEVILLE, VA | $13,091 | — | 4017% |
| PAM Specialty Hospital of Luling Luling, TX | $12,334 | — | 3391% |
| Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center Lockhart , TX | $12,334 | — | 3391% |
| PAM Specialty Hospital of Covington Covington, LA | $11,377 | — | 3120% |
| Cornerstone Hospital Little Rock Little Rock, AR | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Austin Austin, TX | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Bossier City Bossier City, LA | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Broken Arrow Broken Arrow, OK | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Huntington Huntington, WV | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Muskogee Muskogee, OK | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
| Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Round Rock Round Rock, TX | $10,201 | — | 3108% |
Were you billed for this procedure?
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About MRI Neck Spine Without & W/dye
CPT code 72156 refers to mri neck spine without & w/dye (billing description: "Mri neck spine w/o & w/dye"). Under the 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, it is reimbursed at $318 in a facility (hospital or surgery center) and $318 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.