Prices at 5 hospitals in Milwaukee, WI, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,302 — 19% below the US median ($1,601), roughly 7.7× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital | Milwaukee, WI | $850 | $551 | ★ 5/5 | 124 min | — |
| Ascension Columbia St Marys Hospital Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $1,256 | $350 | ★ 3/5 | 167 min | — |
| Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $1,347 | $2,072 | — | — | — |
| Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital | Milwaukee, WI | $1,824 | $1,621 | ★ 3/5 | 275 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 $1,302 — about 7.7× 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 $2,410 list price could save about $1,108 (46%).
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 Wisconsin → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Milwaukee