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Knee MRI (without contrast) at MercyOne West Des Moines Medical Center

1755 59th Place, West Des Moines, IA · MercyOne · · NPI 1538395975

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 31, 2026 · Ingested Aug 3, 2026

$7,689.00

Cash price

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Discounted cash price

What a hospital charges a self-pay patient who pays directly, without going through insurance — usually well below the gross charge.

Example: A CT scan has a $3,200 gross charge but an $850 discounted cash price. Ask for it by name when scheduling — hospitals don't always advertise it up front.

Full explanation →

What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.

$7,689.00

Gross charge

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Gross charge (chargemaster price)

The hospital's full, undiscounted list price — pulled from its internal "chargemaster" price list. Almost no one actually pays this.

Example: A chest X-ray has a gross charge of $1,450. The same hospital's discounted cash price for the same X-ray is $180 — the gross charge mostly anchors negotiations, not what patients pay.

Full explanation →

The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.

$225.21 with IOWA TOTAL CARE vs $5,126.00 with IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH — same scan, same building. Share

Negotiated rates by payer
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Negotiated rate

The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.

Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.

Full explanation →

Payer
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Payer

The insurance company footing the bill — Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and so on.

Example: "Blue Cross Blue Shield" is the payer. Its negotiated rate for an MRI might be $904, while a different payer's negotiated rate for the same scan is $1,509.

Full explanation →
Plan
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Plan

The specific product an insurer sells — e.g. "Blue Cross PPO 500" — which sets your deductible, coinsurance and negotiated rates.

Example: Two people both insured by Aetna can owe very different amounts for the same MRI: $50 with an HMO plan's flat copay, or the full $1,200 toward a high-deductible PPO plan's unmet deductible.

Full explanation →
Negotiated rate vs. cash
IOWA TOTAL CARE IOWA TOTAL CARE MEDICAID $225.21 ↓ -97%
MEDICARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATES HEALTH PLANS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $225.85 ↓ -97%
AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $225.85 ↓ -97%
MEDIGOLD MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MERCYONE HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $225.85 ↓ -97%
MOLINA MEDICAID MOLINA MEDICAID $227.42 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLMARK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $228.11 ↓ -97%
WELLPOINT MEDICAID WELLPOINT MEDICAID $228.30 ↓ -97%
UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $230.37 ↓ -97%
HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE UNITYPOINT HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADV $232.76 ↓ -97%
WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $235.07 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - WY WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MI WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - PA (INDEPENDENCE) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IL ALTERNATE WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - AK (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - CO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - WA (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK WESTERN WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - OK WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - PA (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - VT WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - VA (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - TX WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - KY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - FEDERAL WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - WA (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - AZ WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - RI WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NC WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - OR (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - SC WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CARE NETWORK WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - VA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - WI (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK HMO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - DC (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK NORTHEASTERN WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MT WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - KS WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - ID (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - UT (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - ME (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - FL WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - GA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - LA WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NY (EXCELLUS) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - SD (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MD (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - CT (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - WV (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE SHIELD - CA WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - DE (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IL WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - TN WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - AR WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NE WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NV (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - OH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MS WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - PA (CAPITAL) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE DISTINCTION TRANSPLANT WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - IN (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MA WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - CA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - AL WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - ND WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BCBS GENERIC WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - MN WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATORS OF MASSACHUSETTS WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - HI WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - ID WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NJ (HORIZON) WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
BLUE CROSS - NM WELLMARK PPO $243.77 ↓ -97%
AMISH HOSPITAL AID AMISH HOSPITAL AID $306.51 ↓ -96%
OSCAR OSCAR $327.48 ↓ -96%
CENTIVO CENTIVO $332.55 ↓ -96%
AMBETTER AMBETTER MARKETPLACE $387.17 ↓ -95%
NOVA CLAIMDOC $463.22 ↓ -94%
CLAIMDOC CLAIMDOC $463.22 ↓ -94%
GEHA UNITED HEALTHCARE $525.42 ↓ -93%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $525.42 ↓ -93%
MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $1,030.33 ↓ -87%
HEALTH CHOICES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $1,030.33 ↓ -87%
WEBTPA AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
COVENTRY AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
ALLIED BENEFIT SYSTEMS AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
LUCENT HEALTH AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
LUMINARE HEALTH AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
ASR HEALTH BENEFITS AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
CHRISTIAN BROTHER SERVICES AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
FIRST HEALTH AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
1199 NATIONAL BENEFIT FUND AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
AETNA AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
MERITAIN AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
MEDICAL MUTUAL AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
TRUSTMARK SMALL BUSINESS BENEFITS AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
AETNA DOMESTIC AETNA $1,778.72 ↓ -77%
CIGNA CIGNA $3,075.60 ↓ -60%
CIGNA EAP CIGNA $3,075.60 ↓ -60%
HEALTH PARTNERS HEALTH PARTNERS $3,255.01 ↓ -58%
MIDLANDS CHOICE MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $3,331.90 ↓ -57%
MIDLANDS MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $3,331.90 ↓ -57%
AUXIANT MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $3,331.90 ↓ -57%
MEDICA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $3,331.90 ↓ -57%
USA MANAGED CARE USA MANAGED CARE $4,357.10 ↓ -43%
CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE CRIME VICTIMS $5,126.00 ↓ -33%
IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOR YOURSELF $5,126.00 ↓ -33%

Visitor-reported prices

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Knee MRI (without contrast) at other Iowa hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital Des Moines $3,573.02 $59.32 – $1,313.08
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo $3,312.28 $59.32 – $2,181.96
MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport $2,406.00 $231.38 – $323.93
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque $4,561.70 $214.06 – $4,679.00
MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center New Hampton $3,903.25 $1,584.79 – $4,003.00
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton $2,237.30 $219.72 – $2,294.00
MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein $3,903.25 $1,529.95 – $4,003.00
MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center Cedar Falls $4,687.80 $224.79 – $4,808.00

All Iowa hospitals for this procedure →