Prices at 4 hospitals in Columbus, OH, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $951 — 41% below the US median ($1,601), roughly 5.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Methodist Hospital | Columbus, OH | $951 | $336 | ★ 4/5 | 222 min | 14.3% |
| Grant Medical Center | Columbus, OH | $951 | $336 | ★ 2/5 | 158 min | 15.7% |
| Doctors Hospital | Columbus, OH | $951 | $344 | ★ 4/5 | 174 min | 15.1% |
| Mount Carmel East & West | Columbus, OH | $1,387 | $1,126 | ★ 2/5 | 145 min | 15.4% |
CMS rating = overall hospital star rating (1–5); ER wait = median minutes in the emergency department; Readmit = 30-day readmission rate (lower is better) — all from Medicare’s Care Compare; “—” = not reported. Data last updated August 2026. Prices from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); Medicare benchmark from CMS PFS/CLFS/IPPS. Prices below 15% of the median are excluded as likely partial or mis-coded charges. Estimates — confirm with the hospital. Report an incorrect price.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $951 — about 5.6× the Medicare rate ($169). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($337).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,463 list price could save about $512 (35%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices in Ohio → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Columbus