CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with and without contrast cost in Alaska

Prices at 4 hospitals in Alaska, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $4,199 — 139% above the US median ($1,754), roughly 21.3× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Peacehealth Ketchikan Medical Center Ketchikan, AK $2,512 ★ 4/5 120 min 14.7%
Alaska Regional Hospital Anchorage, AK $5,885 $3,619 ★ 1/5 129 min 15.8%
North Star Hospital Anchorage, AK $5,885 $3,619

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 June 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$4,875
Cash / self-pay
$4,199
Insurer-negotiated
$3,619
Medicare pays
$197
$880$5,885
Median cash $4,199  ·  Medicare $197  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $4,199 — about 21.3× the Medicare rate ($197). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($393).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $4,875 list price could save about $676 (14%).

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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 and without contrast cost in other states

All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with and without contrast prices (national) → · All hospitals in Alaska →