Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml
What Medicare pays for A9579, what providers bill, and how the price varies across 49 states, drawn from CMS 2023 claims data.
A9579 · the short answer
For injection, gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agent, not otherwise specified (nos), per ml, Medicare pays about $1.20 on average across 49 states. This is a low-payment administrative or drug code, so the billed-to-paid ratio is not a meaningful "markup."
- Medicare pays
- $1.20
- Providers bill
- $10.32
- States with data
- 49
Medicare amounts are CMS-published; markup = average submitted charge ÷ average Medicare payment.
Price Range Across States
What You Might Pay
Estimated using RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios. Actual prices vary by insurer, plan, and facility.
How we estimate these prices
These estimates are based on the RAND Hospital Price Transparency Study (4th Edition, 2024), which found that commercial insurance prices average 224% of Medicare rates nationally. We apply category-specific ratios: Medical Supplies procedures average 2.24x Medicare rates. Cash/self-pay estimates blend typical cash discounts (55% of billed charges) with Medicare-based estimates (150% of allowed amounts). These are statistical estimates, not quotes. Contact your insurer or provider for actual costs.
Prices by State
| State | Medicare Payment | Billed Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | $1.24 | $3.49 |
| Utah | $1.23 | $7.33 |
| Delaware | $1.23 | $4.04 |
| Rhode Island | $1.23 | $3.40 |
| Alaska | $1.23 | $16.76 |
| Nebraska | $1.23 | $2.48 |
| Connecticut | $1.23 | $8.56 |
| Alabama | $1.22 | $10.98 |
| Massachusetts | $1.22 | $8.34 |
| New Jersey | $1.22 | $24.39 |
| District of Columbia | $1.22 | $20.31 |
| Nevada | $1.22 | $3.39 |
| California | $1.22 | $10.57 |
| Virginia | $1.22 | $33.52 |
| Ohio | $1.21 | $6.41 |
| New Mexico | $1.21 | $9.95 |
| Maryland | $1.21 | $4.36 |
| Florida | $1.21 | $10.99 |
| North Carolina | $1.21 | $6.55 |
| South Dakota | $1.21 | $2.00 |
| Texas | $1.21 | $8.70 |
| Wyoming | $1.21 | $9.40 |
| Illinois | $1.21 | $15.09 |
| Michigan | $1.21 | $4.47 |
| Arkansas | $1.20 | $7.53 |
| Hawaii | $1.20 | $5.47 |
| Tennessee | $1.20 | $5.87 |
| Minnesota | $1.20 | $14.82 |
| South Carolina | $1.20 | $3.85 |
| Kansas | $1.20 | $14.55 |
| Washington | $1.19 | $8.18 |
| Iowa | $1.19 | $16.23 |
| Idaho | $1.19 | $14.45 |
| New York | $1.19 | $17.32 |
| Oklahoma | $1.19 | $5.72 |
| Guam | $1.18 | $1.77 |
| Mississippi | $1.18 | $10.45 |
| Missouri | $1.18 | $7.41 |
| New Hampshire | $1.17 | $7.51 |
| Louisiana | $1.17 | $7.06 |
| Indiana | $1.17 | $4.17 |
| Kentucky | $1.16 | $7.68 |
| Wisconsin | $1.13 | $15.36 |
| Arizona | $1.13 | $12.64 |
| Puerto Rico | $1.12 | $8.24 |
| Georgia | $1.11 | $6.09 |
| Montana | $1.09 | $8.08 |
| Pennsylvania | $1.08 | $8.27 |
| Oregon | $1.00 | $3.10 |
What the Data Says About Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml
Across 49 states with reporting providers, CPT code A9579 (Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml) shows a national average Medicare payment of $1.20 against an average billed charge of $10.32. That gap, a 8.6x markup, or 761% above the Medicare allowed amount, is not a meaningful ratio for this low-payment code, so treat the billed figure as a chargemaster reference point rather than a real-world price.
Medical Supplies procedures like this one saw 784.9K services billed to Medicare in 2023 by 2.6K distinct providers, serving 47.6K unique beneficiaries. State-level variation is significant: Oregon reports the lowest average payment at $1.00, while Colorado reports the highest at $1.24. The 24% spread here is a moderate, fairly ordinary GPCI effect, local cost-of-practice adjustments nudging the allowed amount up or down without reshaping it.
Applying RAND 2024 commercial-to-Medicare ratios specific to the Medical Supplies category (2.24x), the estimated commercial insurance price lands near $3.41, with self-pay cash discounts commonly bringing the figure closer to $3.98. Within Medical Supplies, Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml ranks #80 of 84 tracked procedures by national average Medicare payment.
What to do with this
If you may have injection, gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agent, not otherwise specified (nos), per ml done, these steps turn the numbers above into a real-world cost estimate.
- Request a Good Faith Estimate from your provider at least 3 business days before a scheduled procedure, under the No Surprises Act it is an enforceable written price.
- Compare injection, gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agent, not otherwise specified (nos), per ml costs in your state, Medicare rates vary by locality. Browse states
- Check a hospital’s published cash price, which is often far below the billed charge. Price transparency
- Understand why billed charges run several times the Medicare rate before you negotiate. Read the guide
Figures here are averages and estimates, not a quote. Confirm coverage and out-of-pocket costs with your insurer and provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml cost?
Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml (CPT A9579) is priced fairly consistently nationwide: Medicare pays $1.20 on average, and the $1.00-$1.24 state range stays relatively tight. Providers typically bill $10.32.
Why do providers charge more than Medicare pays?
Providers set their own chargemaster rates (billed charges), which are typically much higher than what any insurer pays. Medicare pays a fixed rate based on the procedure code and geographic location. The billed charge is relevant mainly for uninsured patients, who may face prices closer to the submitted charge.
How much does Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml cost with insurance?
With commercial insurance, injection, gadolinium-based magnetic resonance contrast agent, not otherwise specified (nos), per ml costs an estimated $3.41 on average (range: $2.39-$4.78), a moderate premium over Medicare's $1.20. Without insurance, the estimated cash price is $3.98.
Which state has the lowest cost for Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml?
Oregon and Colorado bookend the range for Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml, at $1.00 and $1.24 respectively - a relatively tight $0.24 spread nationwide.
How many providers perform Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml?
A moderate provider base performs Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml: 2.6K providers nationally, totaling 784.9K Medicare-billed services (47.6K beneficiaries) across 49 states in 2023.
What is the billed-to-Medicare markup for Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml?
Providers bill 8.6x what Medicare pays for Injection, Gadolinium-Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agent, Not Otherwise Specified (nos), Per Ml - a markup within the typical range at 761% above the Medicare rate.
Related Guides
Tips to reduce out-of-pocket costs
Your right to upfront pricing
How Medicare payments work
Decode charges and codes
Why bills exceed actual costs
Geographic pricing factors
Data from CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners (2023).
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainProcedure is rendered directly from CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on CMS Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.