Price range near Fairfax

$835 to $7,497
9.0x price range Virginia avg: $2,889

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital (5★) has the lowest price — $6,662 less than the most expensive option nearby.

Hospital prices near Fairfax

1
Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Inova Health System · Nonprofit · 0.0 mi
$835 cash price
5★ 79.0% satisfied Safety penalty
2
Inova Loudoun Hospital Inova Health System · Nonprofit · 11.3 mi
$835 cash price
5★ 76.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+0% vs lowest Compare
3
Inova Alexandria Hospital Inova Health System · Nonprofit · 14.3 mi
$835 cash price
4★ 70.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+0% vs lowest Compare
4
Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Inova Health System · Nonprofit · 14.3 mi
$835 cash price
3★ 67.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+0% vs lowest Compare
5
Novant Prince William Medical Center Novant Health · Nonprofit · 11.3 mi
$1,118 cash price
4★ 64.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+34% vs lowest Compare
6
Fauquier Hospital For-profit · 11.3 mi · For-profit
$1,685 cash price
3★ 62.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+102% vs lowest Compare
7
UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center UVA Health · Nonprofit · 11.3 mi
$3,376 cash price
4★ 76.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+304% vs lowest Compare
8
Reston Hospital Center HCA Virginia · Nonprofit · 11.3 mi
$7,495 cash price
3★ 66.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+798% vs lowest Compare
9
Stonesprings Hospital Center For-profit · 11.3 mi · For-profit
$7,497 cash price
3★ 76.0% satisfied Safety penalty
+798% vs lowest Compare

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Before you schedule

Best value Inova Fair Oaks Hospital — $835 5★ CMS rating
You could save $6,662 by choosing the lowest-priced facility
Virginia average $2,889 — prices near Fairfax are below average
Call billing before you schedule Ask: "What is the cash price for this procedure?" — if you haven't met your deductible, it may be hundreds less than going through insurance
Expect a separate bill These are facility fees. Your doctor, radiologist, or anesthesiologist bills separately — ask about those costs too

If you're paying out of pocket for this MRI, the price difference between hospitals in Fairfax is dramatic — you could pay $835 at one facility or nearly $7,500 at another for the same scan. That's a real choice you can make. The median price here is around $1,120, which is less than half the state average, so Fairfax has genuinely cheaper options if you shop around.

Before you book, call the billing department at whichever hospital you're considering and confirm their cash price for a lumbar spine MRI — prices vary widely even within the same system. If cost is your main concern, ask specifically about Inova Fair Oaks, which quotes $835 and has a 5-star quality rating. Also ask your doctor if they can send the images directly to your insurance company; some plans cover the scan at lower rates if it's done at an in-network facility rather than a standalone imaging center.

Questions to ask when you call

Before scheduling, call the hospital's billing department. These are the exact questions that get you the answers you need.

1

"What is your cash price for MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast?"

If you haven't met your deductible, the cash price may be lower than what your insurance negotiates. Many hospitals will honor their published cash price if you ask.

2

"What will my insurance plan pay for this, and what's my out-of-pocket?"

Get a written estimate. Ask them to include your deductible status and coinsurance percentage. This is called a "Good Faith Estimate" and you're legally entitled to one.

3

"Are there any other charges I should expect — radiologist, anesthesiologist, or facility fees?"

These prices are facility fees. Your doctor, radiologist, and anesthesiologist bill separately. Ask how much those could add.

MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast costs $835 at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital (5-star CMS rating) and up to $7,497 at Stonesprings Hospital Center in Fairfax, Virginia — a 9.0x difference for the same procedure across 9 facilities. The Virginia statewide average is $2,889.

What else you should know

15% of insurance rates exceed the cash price 17 of 113 negotiated rates at these hospitals cost more than paying cash. If you haven't met your deductible, ask for the cash rate. Learn more
Ownership affects price For-profit: avg $4,591, 3.0★ (2 hospitals). Nonprofit: avg $2,190, 4.0★ (7 hospitals)

Surgery center alternatives

These ambulatory surgery centers are near Fairfax. ASCs often perform outpatient procedures at lower cost than hospitals.

Azura Surgery Center Arlington 0.4 mi
Arlington, VA 22201
Northern Virginia Eye Surgery Center LLC 0.4 mi
Fairfax, VA 22031
Fairfax Surgical Center Lp 0.4 mi
Fairfax, VA 22030
Inova Ambulatory Surgery Center at Lorton LLC 0.4 mi
Lorton, VA 22079
40% satisfied 447 cases/yr
Northern Virginia Surgery Center LLC 0.4 mi
Fairfax, VA 22033
98% satisfied 1990 cases/yr
Inova Loudoun Ambulatory Surgery Center LLC 11.3 mi
Leesburg, VA 20176
97% satisfied 1558 cases/yr
View full data table
FacilityCash PriceGross ChargeStarsPatient RatingOwnershipDistance
Inova Fair Oaks HospitalInova Health System $835 $1,670 5/5 79.0% Nonprofit 0.0 mi
Inova Loudoun HospitalInova Health System $835 $1,670 5/5 76.0% Nonprofit 11.3 mi
Inova Alexandria HospitalInova Health System $835 $1,670 4/5 70.0% Nonprofit 14.3 mi
Inova Mount Vernon HospitalInova Health System $835 $1,670 3/5 67.0% Nonprofit 14.3 mi
Novant Prince William Medical CenterNovant Health $1,118 $2,237 4/5 64.0% Nonprofit 11.3 mi
Fauquier Hospital $1,685 $4,213 3/5 62.0% For-profit 11.3 mi
UVA Health Haymarket Medical CenterUVA Health $3,376 $5,627 4/5 76.0% Nonprofit 11.3 mi
Reston Hospital CenterHCA Virginia $7,495 $7,495 3/5 66.0% Nonprofit 11.3 mi
Stonesprings Hospital Center $7,497 $7,497 3/5 76.0% For-profit 11.3 mi

Common questions

How much does MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast cost in Fairfax, VA?

MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast costs between $835 and $7,497 at 9 facilities near Fairfax, Virginia. The median price is $1,118. The Virginia statewide average is $2,889.

Which hospital is cheapest for MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast near Fairfax?

Inova Fair Oaks Hospital has the lowest published cash price at $835. It has a 5-star CMS quality rating and 79.0% patient satisfaction.

Does a cheaper hospital mean lower quality?

No. In Fairfax, the lowest-priced facility (Inova Fair Oaks Hospital) has a 5-star CMS rating, while the highest-priced facility (Stonesprings Hospital Center) has a 3-star rating.

Where does this pricing data come from?

All prices are from each hospital's federally mandated machine-readable file under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR Part 180). Quality ratings are from CMS Hospital Compare. We do not estimate prices. See full methodology →

How much can I save by choosing a different hospital?

The maximum savings for MRI Lumbar Spine without Contrast near Fairfax is $6,662 — the difference between Inova Fair Oaks Hospital ($835) and Stonesprings Hospital Center ($7,497).

Data compiled from 17 federal sources including CMS Hospital Price Transparency files, Hospital Compare, HCAHPS, and Medicare Cost Reports. Updated April 2026. Full methodology →