How much does MRI brain, with & without contrast cost in San Diego, CA?
CPT 70553 — the fair price, every hospital's price, and the Medicare benchmark for San Diego, CA.
| Facility | Type | Price | vs Medicare | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego (San Diego) lowest | Hospital | $1,476cash | 4.1× | ★★★★★ |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista (Chula Vista) | Hospital | $1,476cash | 4.1× | — |
| Scripps Green Hospital (La Jolla) | Hospital | $1,476cash | 4.1× | ★★★★★ |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas (Encinitas) | Hospital | $1,476cash | 4.1× | ★★★★★ |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla (La Jolla) | Hospital | $1,476cash | 4.1× | ★★★★★ |
| Tri-City Medical Center (Oceanside) | Hospital | $2,409cash | 6.7× | — |
| Kaiser Permanente San Diego Zion Medical Center (San Diego) | Hospital | $3,068cash | 8.6× | ★★★★★ |
| Sharp Grossmont Hospital (La Mesa) | Hospital | $4,562cash | 12.8× | ★★★★★ |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center (Chula Vista) | Hospital | $4,562cash | 12.8× | — |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital (Coronado) | Hospital | $4,562cash | 12.8× | ★★★★★ |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital (San Diego) | Hospital | $4,562cash | 12.8× | ★★★★★ |
| UC San Diego Health - Hillcrest & Jacobs Medical Center (San Diego) | Hospital | $4,959cash | 13.9× | — |
| Rady Children's Hospital (San Diego) | Hospital | $6,106cash | 17.1× | — |
- 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 $3,068.00, and negotiated rates at nearby facilities run $1,475.74–$4,562.25. 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 San Diego, CA?
For MRI brain, with & without contrast (CPT 70553) in San Diego, CA, a fair self-pay price is around $3,068, with hospitals ranging from $1,476 to $4,562 across 13 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 San Diego, CA?
A fair self-pay price for MRI brain, with & without contrast (CPT 70553) in San Diego, CA is around $3,068, with hospital prices ranging from $1,476 to $4,562 across 13 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 San Diego, 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.