Does Medicare Cover MRIs?

Medicare will cover a portion of the cost of an MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scan in certain circumstances. But the MRI must meet three criteria.

Your out-of-pocket cost will vary depending on what type of Medicare coverage you have.

If you have Original Medicare, Medicare pays for 80% of the costs if you meet all criteria.

MRIs are widely used around the world to diagnose a wide range of medical issues. A doctor may order an MRI to diagnose or rule out a particular medical condition.

MRIs differ from X-rays and CT scans in that they do not use ionizing radiation. Instead, an MRI uses a combination of an electromagnet, radio waves and a computer working together to create a detailed, cross-sectional image of the inside of your body.

According to 2022 data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development — OECD — there were 108 MRI exams performed in the U.S. for every 1,000 people in the previous year.

If you have Original Medicare, you will be responsible for 20% of the MRI’s cost. Your Medicare Part B deductible — $257 in 2025 — will also apply. If you have a Medigap policy or a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have to pay less.

If you had Original Medicare in 2022, the average out-of-pocket expenses for an unlisted — diagnostic or interventional — MRI came to $8 if done in an ambulatory surgery center and $16 if done in a hospital outpatient setting, according to Medicare’s Procedure Price Lookup tool. The type of MRI and part of the body being scanned affect the actual out-of-pocket cost.

The estimate included both facility and doctor fees, but if you have additional doctors you may have to pay more.

Medigap policies are sold by private insurance companies. They fill in the “gaps” that Original Medicare does not cover — such as copayments, coinsurance and deductibles.

Medicare Advantage plans are also sold by private insurers. They must cover everything Original Medicare covers, but they may offer additional benefits.

You should check with your Medicare Advantage or Medigap administrator to see what your specific plan covers.

Medicare classifies MRI scans as “diagnostic nonlaboratory tests” which are covered under Medicare Part B medical insurance.

These include a variety of tests that your doctor may order to diagnose or rule out a suspected illness or medical condition. Medicare covers 80% of the cost of diagnostic nonlaboratory tests, like MRIs, when ordered by a doctor who accepts Medicare.

Medicare beneficiaries pay 20% of the Medicare-approved costs for these types of tests if they are done in your doctor’s office or in a testing facility. You also have to pay your Medicare Part B deductible.

If you have the tests done in a hospital outpatient setting, you also have to pay a copayment out of your pocket for diagnostic nonlaboratory tests.

In addition, Medicare covers certain preventive services — tests and screenings — that can help find or prevent a medical issue.