Prices at 47 hospitals in Iowa, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,718 — 7% above the US median ($1,601), roughly 10.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Regional Medical Center | Creston, IA | $604 | $979 | ★ 3/5 | 101 min | — |
| Methodist Jennie Edmundson | Council Bluffs, IA | $697 | $739 | ★ 3/5 | 150 min | — |
| St Lukes Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $828 | $220 | ★ 4/5 | 166 min | — |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center | Sioux City, IA | $828 | $220 | ★ 2/5 | 174 min | — |
| Spencer Municipal Hospital | Spencer, IA | $856 | $913 | ★ 4/5 | 128 min | — |
| Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, IA | $932 | $1,581 | — | 104 min | — |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs, IA | $1,094 | $729 | ★ 5/5 | 171 min | — |
| Humboldt County Memorial Hospital | Humboldt, IA | $1,122 | $970 | — | 100 min | — |
| Unitypoint Health-Marshalltown | Marshalltown, IA | $1,215 | $295 | ★ 3/5 | 162 min | — |
| Allen Hospital | Waterloo, IA | $1,215 | $221 | ★ 3/5 | 163 min | — |
| Lakes Regional Healthcare | Spirit Lake, IA | $1,259 | $1,010 | ★ 2/5 | 125 min | — |
| Community Memorial Hospital Medical Center | Sumner, IA | $1,292 | $1,114 | — | 132 min | — |
| Van Diest Medical Center | Webster City, IA | $1,366 | $1,196 | ★ 5/5 | 103 min | — |
| Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA | $1,380 | $246 | ★ 3/5 | 114 min | — |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | Storm Lake, IA | $1,450 | $1,759 | ★ 2/5 | 152 min | — |
| Story County Hospital | Nevada, IA | $1,573 | $1,494 | — | 102 min | — |
| CHI Health-Mercy Corning | Corning, IA | $1,618 | $3,235 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | — |
| Mercyone Dubuque Medical Center | Dubuque, IA | $1,627 | $356 | ★ 3/5 | 204 min | — |
| CHI Health Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley, IA | $1,651 | $3,235 | ★ 4/5 | 105 min | — |
| Mercyone Des Moines Medical Center | Des Moines, IA | $1,693 | $356 | ★ 1/5 | 244 min | — |
| Clarke County Hospital | Osceola, IA | $1,694 | $298 | ★ 5/5 | 104 min | — |
| Pocahontas Community Hospital | Pocahontas, IA | $1,743 | $1,656 | — | 120 min | — |
| Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, IA | $1,799 | $356 | ★ 2/5 | 193 min | — |
| Mercyone Newton Medical Center | Newton, IA | $1,825 | $356 | ★ 4/5 | 155 min | — |
| Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton | New Hampton, IA | $1,825 | $2,653 | — | 119 min | — |
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 September 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 $1,718 — about 10.2× 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 $2,484 list price could save about $766 (31%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast cost in other states
All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in Iowa →