Anthem Blue Cross lumbar spine MRI cost in California (2026): what Anthem Blue Cross pays
Anthem Blue Cross lumbar spine MRI cost in California, 2026: the middle of Anthem's rate menu for a lumbar spine MRI at doctors' offices and imaging centers is $438. By area, its median runs from $390 (Los Angeles) to $530 (Oakland). Original Medicare pays $218 to $257.
Anthem Blue Cross rate by area
| Area | Anthem Blue Cross median, middle half | Billing entities | Typical (excl. Anthem) | Original Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $450 $271 to $659 | 204 | $368 | $252 |
| Oakland | $530 $384 to $758 | 115 | $496 | $252 |
| San Jose | $426 $271 to $699 | 310 | $423 | $257 |
| Los Angeles | $390 $277 to $578 | 633 | $402 | $218 |
Anthem lists the same menu of rates under nearly every contract, so its figures show the middle of that menu, not the rate a specific provider is paid. Providers within 20 miles of each downtown. Typical (excl. Anthem): the middle of the insurer medians in that area, leaving out Anthem's rate menu.
Your plan's price
Anthem Blue Cross has many contracts, and your plan uses one of them. Most providers' rates fall in the middle half shown above; the rate for your plan can be higher or lower. For a plan-specific estimate, sign in to Anthem's Find Care and cost estimates.
What you would actually pay
The negotiated rate is the total the provider is paid. Your share depends on your plan. If you have not met your deductible, you usually pay the whole negotiated rate: at a $438 rate, that is $438. Once the deductible is met, coinsurance applies: at 20% coinsurance you would pay $88 and the insurer the rest. Plans with a flat copay for this service charge the copay instead.
Going out of network is different. The provider has no agreed rate with your insurer, so they can usually bill their full listed price. Federal and California law limit that in emergencies, for out-of-network clinicians at in-network hospitals and surgery centers and, under California-regulated plans, at other in-network facilities such as imaging centers and labs. Many HMO and EPO plans pay nothing for out-of-network care.
About a lumbar spine MRI
An MRI of the lower back without contrast dye. It is the usual first MRI for back pain that has not improved, sciatica, or suspected disc problems. Billing code: CPT 72148.
What the price covers
- Rates here are for the whole service billed as one charge: the scan and the radiologist's reading.
- With contrast (CPT 72149) or without and then with contrast (72158) are different codes with different prices.
Where these numbers come from
Rates come from the price transparency files Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield of California, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare and Cigna publish. We clean the files before summarizing them and only show an insurer when enough providers report a rate. Medicare figures are from the 2026 Physician Fee Schedule. More on how these pages are built.