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MRI denials: what the review data shows
Independent reviewers have decided 205 published cases where an insurer denied MRI — and they overturned the insurer 32.7% of the time. A denial for MRI is a starting position, not a final answer.
Published decisions
205
2001–2026
Overturned
32.7%
67 denials reversed
By condition
Published outcomes when MRI was denied for these conditions.
| Condition | Decisions | Overturned |
|---|---|---|
| Back Pain | 15 | 20% |
| Low Back Pain | 14 | 7.1% |
| Knee Pain | 13 | 30.8% |
How to use this in your appeal
These are outcomes from California’s external review program — an independent physician panel that binds the insurer. Every state has an equivalent process, and internal appeals succeed even more often. Cite the outcome record for MRIwhen you appeal: reviewers routinely find that denials like yours didn’t hold up.
SOURCE: CALIFORNIA DMHC INDEPENDENT MEDICAL REVIEW OUTCOMES (CHHS OPEN DATA) · DERIVED AGGREGATE STATISTICS ONLY · METHODOLOGY
Not legal or medical advice. Coverage Rights is a self-help tool that helps you prepare your own appeal. For advice about your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney or your doctor.