How much does MRI brain, with & without contrast cost in Sacramento, CA?
CPT 70553 — the fair price, every hospital's price, and the Medicare benchmark for Sacramento, CA.
| Facility | Type | Price | vs Medicare | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventist Health Bakersfield (Bakersfield) lowest ⚠ likely error | Hospital | $64cash | 0.2× | — |
| Dignity St. Joseph's Medical Center (Stockton) | Hospital | $1,361cash | 3.8× | — |
| Dignity Mercy General Hospital (Sacramento) | Hospital | $1,892cash | 5.3× | ★★★★★ |
| Dignity Mercy San Juan Medical Center (Carmichael) | Hospital | $2,378cash | 6.7× | — |
| UC Davis Medical Center (Sacramento) | Hospital | $3,287cash | 9.2× | ★★★★★ |
| Dignity Bakersfield Memorial Hospital (Bakersfield) | Hospital | $3,629cash | 10.2× | — |
| Dignity Mercy Medical Center Redding (Redding) | Hospital | $5,260cash | 14.7× | — |
| Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center (Sacramento) | Hospital | $5,499cash | 15.4× | ★★★★★ |
| Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center (Fresno) | Hospital | $5,499cash | 15.4× | — |
| Kaweah Health Medical Center (Visalia) | Hospital | $6,396cash | 17.9× | — |
| Community Regional Medical Center (Fresno) | Hospital | $6,640cash | 18.6× | — |
| Clovis Community Medical Center (Clovis) | Hospital | $6,640cash | 18.6× | — |
| Sutter Roseville Medical Center (Roseville) | Hospital | $8,334cash | 23.3× | ★★★★★ |
| Sutter Medical Center Sacramento (Sacramento) | Hospital | $8,334cash | 23.3× | ★★★★★ |
| Sutter Memorial Medical Center (Modesto) | Hospital | $8,334cash | 23.3× | — |
- For 70553 (MRI brain, with & without contrast), Medicare's benchmark rate is $357.13. A fair self-pay target for this line is $714.26. If I was charged more than that, please reduce it toward this benchmark.
- Your own published cash / self-pay price for 70553 is $5,499.20, and negotiated rates at nearby facilities run $2,378.05–$6,640.00. Please apply a rate in that range to my bill rather than the gross charge.
- Please send a fully itemized bill listing every CPT/HCPCS/DRG code and its individual charge, so I can review each line against published rates.
- Separately, what is your financial assistance / charity care policy, and am I eligible? Please send me the application and the income thresholds.
What should 70553 cost in Sacramento, CA?
For MRI brain, with & without contrast (CPT 70553) in Sacramento, CA, a fair self-pay price is around $5,499, with hospitals ranging from $2,378 to $6,640 across 15 facilities. Medicare's benchmark rate is $357, the floor to negotiate toward. The card above lists each hospital's price, cheapest first, with CMS quality stars.
Frequently asked questions
How much does MRI brain, with & without contrast cost in Sacramento, CA?
A fair self-pay price for MRI brain, with & without contrast (CPT 70553) in Sacramento, CA is around $5,499, with hospital prices ranging from $2,378 to $6,640 across 15 facilities. These are estimates from hospital-published prices, not a guarantee.
What is the Medicare rate for CPT 70553?
Medicare pays about $357 for MRI brain, with & without contrast (CPT 70553). That's the negotiation floor — a fair cash-pay target is roughly 1.5–2× it, well below typical gross charges.
Can I negotiate the price of MRI brain, with & without contrast?
Yes. Under the federal Hospital Price Transparency rule hospitals must publish these rates, so you can ask to pay the cash or negotiated rate instead of the gross charge. Paste your bill on the home page for a ready-to-send appeal letter and the exact numbers to cite.
Got a bill for this?
If you were charged more than the fair price, you can usually negotiate it down. Paste your itemized bill to get a personalized appeal letter, the exact numbers to cite, an AI negotiation coach, and a charity-care eligibility check — free.
Compare other procedures in Sacramento, CA
Prices last refreshed September 2026 from each hospital's official CMS machine-readable file. Medicare rate: CY2025 OPPS/PFS/CLFS. Estimates only — not a guarantee.