Price Comparison Report
MRI Lumbar Spine with and without Contrast
Raleigh, NC · 5 facilities · CPT 72158 · September 06, 2026
Summary
5 facilities within 25 miles of Raleigh publish prices for MRI Lumbar Spine with and without Contrast. Cash prices range from $1,402 to $3,272 — a 2.3x difference for an identical procedure. The North Carolina average is $3,489.
Duke University Hospital
Durham, VA · Duke Health · 20.8 mi
Lowest price among hospitals rated 5 stars or above. Patient satisfaction: 80%. Cash price of $1,402 is below the statewide average of $3,489.
All facilities ranked by price
Complete facility data
| # | Facility | Cash Price | Gross Charge | Markup | CMS Stars | Patient Rating | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Hospital Duke Health Durham, NC · 20.8 mi | $1,402 | $5,192 | 3.7x | 5/5 | 80.0% | For-profit |
| 2 | Duke Regional Hospital Duke Health Durham, NC · 20.8 mi | $1,402 | $5,192 | 3.7x | 4/5 | 71.0% | Local government |
| 3 | Wakemed, Raleigh Campus WakeMed Raleigh, NC · 0.0 mi | $2,058 | $5,417 | 2.63x | 4/5 | 71.0% | Nonprofit |
| 4 | Rex Hospital UNC Health Raleigh, NC · 0.0 mi | $3,272 | $5,454 | 1.67x | 5/5 | 80.0% | State government |
| 5 | Duke Health Raleigh Hospital Duke Health Raleigh, NC · 3.8 mi | — | $4,513 | — | — | — |
Insurance negotiated rates by facility
The rates below are what each insurer has contractually agreed to pay this hospital for MRI Lumbar Spine with and without Contrast. Your actual out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible status and copay structure.
Duke University Hospital
Cash: $1,402| Insurance | Plan | Negotiated Rate | vs Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage HMO | $332 | -$1,070 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Medicare Advantage/Medicare Advantage HMO/Medicare Advantage PPO | $344 | -$1,058 |
| UnitedHealthcare | Medicare Advantage | $344 | -$1,058 |
| Troy Health | Medicare Advantage | $348 | -$1,054 |
| VOANS | Medicare Advantage | $348 | -$1,054 |
| Humana | Medicare Advantage | $350 | -$1,052 |
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage PPO | $350 | -$1,051 |
| Cigna | Medicare Advantage | $355 | -$1,047 |
| Liberty | Medicare Advantage | $355 | -$1,047 |
| UnitedHealthcare | Commercial/EPO/PPO | $370 | -$1,032 |
| Aetna | Whole Health | $672 | -$730 |
| Alliance Health | Managed Medicaid | $1,174 | -$228 |
| AmeriHealth | Managed Medicaid | $1,174 | -$228 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Managed Medicaid | $1,174 | -$228 |
| Carolina Complete Health | Managed Medicaid | $1,174 | -$228 |
10 additional plans not shown.
Duke Regional Hospital
Cash: $1,402| Insurance | Plan | Negotiated Rate | vs Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage HMO | $336 | -$1,066 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Medicare Advantage/Medicare Advantage HMO/Medicare Advantage PPO | $348 | -$1,054 |
| UnitedHealthcare | Medicare Advantage | $348 | -$1,054 |
| Troy Health | Medicare Advantage | $348 | -$1,054 |
| VOANS | Medicare Advantage | $348 | -$1,054 |
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage PPO | $355 | -$1,047 |
| Cigna | Medicare Advantage | $355 | -$1,047 |
| Liberty | Medicare Advantage | $355 | -$1,047 |
| Humana | Medicare Advantage | $357 | -$1,045 |
| Aetna | Whole Health | $747 | -$655 |
| AmeriHealth | Managed Medicaid | $835 | -$566 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Managed Medicaid | $835 | -$566 |
| Carolina Complete Health | Managed Medicaid | $835 | -$566 |
| Trillium | Managed Medicaid | $835 | -$566 |
| Alliance Health | Managed Medicaid | $928 | -$474 |
10 additional plans not shown.
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Cash: $2,058| Insurance | Plan | Negotiated Rate | vs Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | Medicare Advantage | $345 | -$1,713 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Medicare Advantage | $345 | -$1,713 |
| Wellcare | Medicare Advantage | $345 | -$1,713 |
| Liberty | Medicare Advantage | $352 | -$1,706 |
| Pruitt | Medicare Advantage | $352 | -$1,706 |
| Alignment | Medicare Advantage | $362 | -$1,696 |
| Ambetter | Exchange | $466 | -$1,593 |
| Aetna | Narrow Network | $861 | -$1,197 |
| AmeriHealth | Managed Medicaid | $972 | -$1,087 |
| Carolina Complete | Managed Medicaid | $972 | -$1,087 |
| Wellcare | Managed Medicaid | $972 | -$1,087 |
| Aetna | Preferred | $1,581 | -$477 |
| Cigna | Exchange | $1,593 | -$466 |
| First Health | Coventry Carelink | $2,492 | +$433 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | Commercial | $2,698 | +$640 |
6 additional plans not shown.
Rex Hospital
Cash: $3,272| Insurance | Plan | Negotiated Rate | vs Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| ALIGNMENT | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| ALIGNMENT | SMART HMO | $345 | -$2,927 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| Cigna | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| Medicare | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| HEALTH TEAM ADVANTAGE | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| Humana | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE GOLD PLUS | $345 | -$2,927 |
| LIBERTY | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| TRICARE | HMO | $345 | -$2,927 |
| UnitedHealthcare | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| WELLCARE | MEDICARE ADVANTAGE | $345 | -$2,927 |
| Aetna | CHOICE POS | $1,044 | -$2,228 |
| Aetna | STATE HEALTH PLAN | $1,044 | -$2,228 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | BLUE HOME | $1,148 | -$2,124 |
13 additional plans not shown.
Before you call
The data in this report is from each hospital's publicly filed prices. Here's how to use it.
Confirm the price
Call the hospital's billing department and ask for a price estimate or Good Faith Estimate for MRI Lumbar Spine with and without Contrast (CPT 72158). Under federal law, they must provide this. Compare it to the published price in this report.
Ask about cash pay
If you haven't met your deductible, ask for the cash/self-pay rate. At many hospitals, the cash price is lower than the insurance-negotiated rate. You can see this in the insurance table above — some negotiated rates exceed the cash price.
Compare before you schedule
You are not required to use the facility your doctor referred you to. You can request a referral to any in-network facility. The same procedure, same quality — sometimes at a fraction of the price.
Ask about financial help
Most nonprofit hospitals in Virginia offer financial assistance to patients based on household income. This is separate from insurance — even insured patients can qualify. Ask billing for their Financial Assistance Policy.
Financial assistance by facility
Nonprofit hospitals are legally required to have financial assistance programs. Below is what we know about each facility's charitable care.
| Facility | Status | Charity Care Provided | How to Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University Hospital | For-profit | — | N/A (for-profit) |
| Duke Regional Hospital | Local government | — | N/A (for-profit) |
| Wakemed, Raleigh Campus | Nonprofit | — | Call billing, request Financial Assistance application |
| Rex Hospital | State government | — | N/A (for-profit) |
| Duke Health Raleigh Hospital | — | N/A (for-profit) |
What to do next
Data sources
Published machine-readable files, required under CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule (45 CFR Part 180)
CMS Hospital Compare, updated quarterly
HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems)
CMS Cost Reports (charity care, revenue) and IRS 990 filings (officer compensation)
This report is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Every price shown is a price a hospital published — not an estimate. Actual out-of-pocket costs depend on your insurance plan, deductible status, and clinical circumstances. Consult your healthcare provider and insurer before making decisions.