Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital

TacomaPierce CountyAcute Care Hospitals

Mid-back MRI without contrast

Quality: 2 of 5 (CMS overall rating)Earliest available date: call (253) 403-1000

What you may pay

With insurance from an employer or private plan
$437 to $2,560Depends on your plan. Each plan’s price at this hospital:
  • Premera $437 Lower than typical
  • Community Health Plan of Washington: Cascade Care $460 Lower than typical
  • First Health: All Commercial Plans $2,560 Higher than typical
  • Multiplan/PHCS: All Commercial Plans $2,560 Higher than typical
The 2 lowest and 2 highest of 20 plans. Find yours in the table below.Typical at 39 hospitals we cover: $680 to $1,175 (each hospital’s middle plan price, hospital’s fee). Don’t see your plan? Ask your insurer for its rate here.
Paying yourself (cash price)
$1,403 TypicalTypical hospital’s fee at 37 hospitals we cover: $1,403 to $2,419.

These are prices the hospital published, not a quote. With insurance you usually pay part of the rate (your deductible and coinsurance); the estimator on the procedure page works it out. A higher price does not mean better care.

Doctors usually bill separately. At most hospitals these are the hospital’s own charges. The surgeon, radiologist, anesthesiologist or pathologist usually sends a separate bill: ask each of them for an estimate too.

Source: Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital’s own price file, dated 2026-08-27. CareNavIQ last refreshed prices on 2026-11-05.

Next step: ask the hospital for a Good Faith Estimate for this procedure (phone number above).

Bills to expect

A procedure usually brings several bills, each from whoever did that part of your care. Here is what to expect, with what Traditional Medicare allows for each doctor’s part in this area (Washington outside King County) and an estimate for private plans.

Separate bills for this procedure and their estimated amounts
BillWho sends itHow likelyStatusTraditional Medicare allowsPrivate plans (estimate)
Hospital's feeThe scan: equipment and technologistThe hospitalExpectedPublished by the hospital: the prices above——
RadiologistReading the scan and writing the reportThe radiology groupExpectedBilled separately; amount estimated$69$81 to $124
Ordering doctor's visitThe visit where the MRI is ordered or the results are explainedYour doctorPossibleBilled separately; not priced——

What you’d pay for these bills

Adds up your share of the hospital’s bill and the expected doctors’ bills above (not the possible ones). What you type stays in your browser.

Your coverage

Your plan’s summary of benefits says how it charges for each kind of care. Leave these as they are if it uses the deductible and coinsurance.

The hospital's bill
The bill from the doctor doing the procedure

You pay about $104 to $112 of about $519 to $561 billed to your plan.

Your share of the hospital's bill is about $87; the rest is your share of the doctors' bills. The doctors' bills are estimates. Enter your out-of-pocket maximum to see whether you'd reach it. Assumes everyone is in your network.

How each bill comes to you

Each provider sends a claim to your plan. It applies its allowed amount, then your deductible, copay and coinsurance, and sends you an Explanation of Benefits. Then the provider bills you the “You owe” line. Bills are in the order your plan is assumed to process them, the hospital first. The doctors' bills are estimates.

Show the bills at
  1. Hospital's feeSent by the hospital
    The provider's charge
    $3,507
    Insurance adjustmentWritten off by the provider: you don't owe it.
    −$3,070
    Allowed amountWhat the insurer counts for this bill.
    $437
    Your plan pays
    $350
    Your coinsurance
    $87.49
    You oweThe provider bills you this after the insurer pays.
    $87.49
  2. RadiologistSent by the radiology group
    The provider's chargeDoctors don't publish their charges; in network it doesn't change what you owe.
    Not published
    Allowed amountWhat the insurer counts for this bill.
    $81.48
    Your plan pays
    $65.18
    Your coinsurance
    $16.30
    You oweThe provider bills you this after the insurer pays.
    $16.30
All bills: allowed amounts
$519
Your plan pays
$415
You owe in all
$104
Who owes what, and when you might owe more
  • The insurance adjustment Written off

    An in-network provider agrees to accept your plan's allowed amount. The difference between its charge and that amount is written off: you don't owe it, and it shouldn't appear on your bill.

  • Deductible You pay

    What you pay each year before your plan starts sharing costs. It is applied to bills in the order your plan processes them, so the first bill can take all of it.

  • Copay You pay

    A fixed amount for a kind of care, such as a hospital stay or a surgeon's visit. Your plan's summary of benefits says whether it applies before or after the deductible, and whether a stay's copay is per day.

  • Coinsurance You pay

    Your percentage of the allowed amount after the deductible, such as 20%.

  • Out-of-pocket maximum Your plan pays

    Once your deductible, copays and coinsurance for the year reach it, your plan pays 100% of covered in-network care for the rest of the plan year.

  • Each provider bills separately You pay

    The hospital, surgeon, anesthesia group, radiologist and pathologist each send their own claim and their own bill. All of them count toward the same deductible and yearly maximum.

  • Out of network and surprise bills It depends

    A provider outside your plan's network can bill you the difference between its charge and what your plan pays (a balance bill). It can't for emergency care, or when anesthesia, radiology, pathology, an assistant surgeon or a hospital doctor treats you at an in-network hospital: under federal law (the No Surprises Act) and, for Washington-regulated plans and self-funded plans that opt in, RCW 48.49, those groups cannot balance bill you. Your deductible and coinsurance still apply, at in-network amounts.

  • Not covered, or no prior authorization It depends

    If your plan decides a service isn't covered, or it needed prior authorization that wasn't approved, the plan pays nothing for it and the provider may bill you. Ask the provider to get prior authorization before your care. If an in-network provider didn't get it, the provider's contract may stop it billing you: ask your plan before you pay.

  • A second insurance It depends

    If you have a second plan, the first plan pays first and the second may then pay some or all of your share. These estimates use one plan only.

  • Wait for the Explanation of Benefits You pay

    After each claim your insurer sends an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) with the allowed amount, what it paid and what you may owe. It is not a bill. Pay a provider's bill only when it matches the EOB's “you may owe” amount, and ask the provider or insurer about any difference.

  • Help from the hospital It depends

    Washington hospitals must give free or discounted care based on income, including deductibles and coinsurance for insured patients: free up to 200% or 300% of the federal poverty level depending on the hospital, with discounts above that (RCW 70.170). You can apply after you get a bill. It covers the hospital's bill; doctor groups that bill separately have their own policies.

  • If you pay yourself instead You pay

    You can choose not to use your insurance and pay the cash price; then nothing counts toward your deductible. Ask each provider for a Good Faith Estimate. If a bill is $400 or more above it, you can dispute it within 120 days.

Get it confirmed before your care

The hospital, each doctor’s group and your insurer can each confirm their part in writing. Here is a request for each one, ready to send from your own email, and what to say if you’d rather call. Nothing you do here is saved.

Coming: CareNavIQ will be able to send these for you, follow up, and tell you when everything is confirmed, with your permission.

How you’ll pay

Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital

The largest bill.

Request to send

Subject: Estimate request: mid-back mri without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital

Hello,

I am planning a mid-back mri without contrast (billing code CPT 72146) at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital.

Under Washington law (RCW 70.01.030), I am asking for a written estimate of the hospital's charges, with the billing codes you plan to use.

Name: [YOUR NAME]
Date of birth: [DATE OF BIRTH]
Insurance: [PLAN NAME], member ID [MEMBER ID]
Planned date: [DATE, IF KNOWN]

Thank you.

Replace the words in [brackets] with your details before you send it.

Open in my email

If you call. Call (253) 403-1000 and ask for the price estimate or patient financial services line. Say: "I'd like a written estimate for my mid-back mri without contrast."

0 of 3 sent. Washington law gives you the right to these estimates but sets no deadline: if you haven't heard back in five business days, send it again or call.

How these are worked out. Medicare amounts are CMS’s 2026 physician fee schedule for this area, at the rate for care in a hospital. Private-plan estimates are 118% to 179% of Medicare for doctors (the range across 19 studies in KFF’s review of what private insurers pay) and 3 to 5 times Medicare for anesthesia (a published industry estimate). Anesthesia is paid by the minute, so its range assumes the time shown. Medicare pays an assistant at surgery 13.6% to 16% of the surgeon’s fee. Where we have your insurer’s own published rates for the doctors here (below), the estimator uses those for that insurer’s employer plans instead. Your plan’s own rates may be outside these ranges: ask each office for an estimate, and for its network status. At an in-network hospital, the anesthesia, radiology, pathology and assistant groups can’t charge you more than your in-network cost share, even if they are out of network (No Surprises Act).

38 published prices, grouped by who each price applies to.

Cash price 2 prices

The hospital's discounted price for patients paying without insurance.

Cash price prices for Mid-back MRI without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
PricePart of the billHospital’s descriptionHow it’s setSettingSource date
$1,403Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRAST—Outpatient2026-08-27
$1,754Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRAST—Inpatient2026-08-27

List price (before discounts) 2 prices

The hospital's full chargemaster price. Few patients pay this amount.

List price (before discounts) prices for Mid-back MRI without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
PricePart of the billHospital’s descriptionHow it’s setSettingSource date
$3,507Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRAST—Outpatient2026-08-27
$4,384Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRAST—Inpatient2026-08-27

Commercial insurance 22 prices

Rate negotiated with a private insurer or employer plan, including exchange and public-option plans.

Commercial insurance prices for Mid-back MRI without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
PayerPlanPricePart of the billHospital’s descriptionHow it’s setSettingSource date
AetnaAll Commercial Plans$1,128Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
AmbetterCoordinated Care Exchange$546Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
CignaAll Commercial Plans$1,145Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
Community Health Plan of WashingtonCascade Care$460Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
First ChoiceMCC Wellfound Employee$1,097Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
First ChoiceMHS Employee MCC/PPO$786Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
First ChoicePPO$786Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
First HealthAll Commercial Plans$2,560Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTpercent of total billed chargesOutpatient2026-08-27
First HealthAll Commercial Plans$3,200Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTpercent of total billed chargesInpatient2026-08-27
KaiserPPO$1,081Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
Multiplan/PHCSAll Commercial Plans$2,560Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTpercent of total billed chargesOutpatient2026-08-27
Multiplan/PHCSAll Commercial Plans$3,200Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTpercent of total billed chargesInpatient2026-08-27
PremeraHMO$437Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
PremeraOther Commercial Plans$1,125Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
PremeraPrime$915Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
PremeraSignature$915Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
RegenceBlue High Performance$804Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
RegenceCommercial$919Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
RegenceMCC/AHN$804Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
RegenceRealValue$827Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
Uniform MedicalAll Commercial Plans$597Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
United HealthcareAll Commercial Plans$1,218Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27

Medicare Advantage 7 prices

Rate for a private Medicare Advantage plan. Applies only to members of that plan.

Medicare Advantage prices for Mid-back MRI without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
PayerPlanPricePart of the billHospital’s descriptionHow it’s setSettingSource date
AetnaMedAdvantage$281Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
Community Health Plan of WashingtonMedAdvantage$300Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
MolinaMedAdvantage$287Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
RegenceMedAdvantage$281Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
SCANMedAdvantage$273Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
United HealthcareMedAdvantage$284Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
WellCareMedAdvantage$287Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27

Medicaid managed care 5 prices

Rate for an Apple Health managed-care plan. Applies only to members of that plan.

Medicaid managed care prices for Mid-back MRI without contrast at Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
PayerPlanPricePart of the billHospital’s descriptionHow it’s setSettingSource date
Community Health Plan of WashingtonApple Health$195Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
Coordinated CareApple Health$195Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
MolinaApple Health$181Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
United HealthcareApple Health$195Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27
WellPointApple Health$195Hospital’s feeC MRI TSPINE W/O CONTRASTfee scheduleOutpatient2026-08-27

Doctors here who do this procedure

15 doctors affiliated with Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital billed Traditional Medicare for Mid-back MRI without contrast in 2024, most Medicare services first. See all doctors and practices, including those with no hospital affiliation.

Doctors affiliated with Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital who billed Traditional Medicare for Mid-back MRI without contrast
Doctor or practicePracticeMedicare quality scoreTimes billed to Traditional Medicare (2024)Traditional Medicare amount for their own service (2024)
Brian Boldt, DODiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated30$63.56 at a hospital or surgery center
Douglas Hartz, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated29$65.90 at a hospital or surgery center
Scott Walker, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated29$63.00 at a hospital or surgery center
Jonathan Kell, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated27$67.13 at a hospital or surgery center
Aaron Zima, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated17$145 in the office (no hospital amount)
Basar Sarikaya, M DDiagnostic Radiology · SeattleThe Association Of University PhysiciansGroup of 3,535 clinicians94 of 100CMS MIPS 2024, reported by their care program (APM)17$72.80 at a hospital or surgery center
Jeremy Cardinal, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated17$64.77 at a hospital or surgery center
Ryan Mills, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated17$102 in the office (no hospital amount)
Joseph Sam, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated16$104 in the office (no hospital amount)
Michael Wells, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated16$64.28 at a hospital or surgery center
Justin Waters, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated15$66.14 at a hospital or surgery center
Nicholas Krause, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated13$67.09 at a hospital or surgery center
Joon Song, MDDiagnostic Radiology · TacomaTra-Minw P SGroup of 155 cliniciansNot rated11$66.76 at a hospital or surgery center
Pyong Kim, MDDiagnostic Radiology · Federal WayVantage Radiology And Diagnostic Services, A Professional Services CorGroup of 42 cliniciansNot rated11$66.24 at a hospital or surgery center
Victor Leen, MDDiagnostic Radiology · SilverdaleOlympic Medical Imaging Consultants, PLLCGroup of 18 clinicians79 of 100CMS MIPS 2024, reported by their group11$66.36 at a hospital or surgery center

Reading the doctor list

  • A higher price doesn’t mean better care. The quality score and the price come from different CMS files and are shown separately on purpose.
  • The amount is what Traditional Medicare (original Medicare) approved for the doctor’s or lab’s own service: Medicare’s payment plus the patient’s share. It is not what commercial insurance or Medicare Advantage pays, and the hospital or surgery center bills separately (surgery centers aren’t in this list).
  • The Medicare quality score is CMS’s MIPS final score (0 to 100), based mostly on the doctor’s Medicare patients. About half of doctors aren’t scored, so Not rated says nothing bad about a doctor. A group’s score covers everyone in the group.
  • CMS doesn’t publish counts under 11 patients, so doctors who rarely bill Medicare for this aren’t listed, and No price published means CMS has no amount for that setting.
  • Medicare’s file doesn’t say where a doctor did the procedure, only that they billed it in Washington. Affiliations are the hospitals each doctor lists with Medicare.

See a price that looks wrong? Tell us about it.