How much does an MRI cost in Illinois?
MRI cost Illinois
MRI scan costs in Illinois by insurance coverage & health care plans
| Insurance | Imaging center | Hospital |
| Insured patient (25% copay) (Compare plans) | $77 - $1,313 | $153 - $2,188 |
| High-deductible patient | $307 - $5,250 | $613 - $8,750 |
| Medicare/Medicaid patient (20% copay) (Compare plans) | $21 - $81 | $31 - $122 |
| Cash patient | $250 - $509 | $183 - $713 |
Cash MRI price by city in Illinois
- Alton: $250-$6,109
- Chicago: $256-$5,468
- Joliet: $250-$7,155
- Naperville: $335-$5,468
- Niles: $251-$7,603
- Oak Lawn: $250-$3,250
- Palos Heights: $338-$7,155
- Park Ridge: $306-$5,250
- Rockford: $250-$4,316
- Tinley Park: $250-$3,025
Insured MRI scan cost
At hospitals in Illinois, patients with health insurance can expect to pay a copay between $153 and $2,188, which is 25% of the total cost of the MRI scan procedure. To avoid additional charges, patients need to ensure the radiologist is also in-network, otherwise their fees will need to be paid in full. Also, if you haven't met your yearly deductible yet, you will be likely billed the full procedure list price ($613 - $8,750) and your insurance coverage will kick-in only after meeting the yearly deductible.
If your insurance plan has limited coverage for imaging procedures or high-deductible, you can use our patient asssist program to compare other insurance plans to rightsize your insurance coverage to meet your needs.
Medicare MRI scan cost
Medical & Medicare are the largest payers for healthcare in Illinois, so they negotiate the best rates. They can pay between $157 and $611 per scan, patients can expect to pay price ranges as little as $31 in copay . Keep in mind there is a high chance that doctors will deny an MRI scan referral, as Medicare only covers the cost of medical imaging in very selective cases.
High-deductible MRI scan cost
Almost 40% of all adult patients have high-deductible health plans, which means they need to meet their deductible of up to $13,000 per family before their insurance kicks-in. They can expect to pay the full price for the MRI scan ($613 - $8,750). For these patients, the best option is often to pay in cash.
Cash MRI cost Illinois
Self-pay patients can get a discount of up to 80% by using a service such as AffordableScan and can get an MRI scan for cash price as little as $250. Our partner testing facilities are able to use their excess capacity and pass the savings to our patients.
MRI scan costs by procedure type & body part in Illinois
- MRI scan of lower spinal canal before and after contrast: $267 - $10,790
- MRI scan of arm joint: $250 - $6,342
- MRI scan of pelvis: $544 - $5,114
- MRI scan of leg joint: $250 - $8,750
- MRI scan of lower spinal canal: $250 - $8,750
- MRI scan brain: $250 - $6,615
- MRI scan of both breasts with contrast: $653 - $7,405
About MRI procedures
MRI scan is an image of internal body organs that radiologist look at to evaluate medical injuries. According to articles published in USA Today, the MRI scan medical procedure cost varies widely based on facility & location. There are about 3,000 hospitals with imaging centers, that need to pay for they expensive emergency departments, so they charge the insurance companies extra for their patients' use of imaging services. As of now the imaging procedure prices are about 10x what they are in Europe .Tips for saving on MRI scans in Illinois
- Shop around for the best price (get a quote for facilities near you).
- Don’t hesitate to ask for pricing infromation & compare prices for procedures with and without contrast.
- Look for facilities that work with a teleradiologist, those provide much better reading costs.
- Ask about all the fees - do they include the cost of the MRI scan and the cost of the radiologist reading?
- Take your doctor referral with you to another facility – your referral might be issued for one of the most expensive hospitals in the area.
- Use the machine type that is sufficient for your scan – if you need an procedure for a musco-skeletal issue, you don’t need the “Ferrari” quality level for your test that will cost you thousands of dollars, a simple “Toyota” level quality will do just fine.
- Use a patient concierge service such as AffordableScan to get a quote and schedule and appointment. We'll be happy to assist you.