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

Prices at 4 hospitals in Orange, CA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $3,469 — 98% above the US median ($1,754), roughly 17.6× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
UCI Health-Orange Orange, CA $1,488 $305 ★ 4/5 323 min 14.7%
Children's Hospital of Orange County Orange, CA $3,469 $1,700
Healthbridge Children's Hospital-Orange Orange, CA $3,469 $1,700
Chapman Global Medical Center Orange, CA $3,727 $364 ★ 2/5 160 min 15.2%

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)
$3,595
Cash / self-pay
$3,469
Insurer-negotiated
$1,032
Medicare pays
$197
$2,082$3,650
Median cash $3,469  ·  Medicare $197  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $3,469 — about 17.6× 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 $3,595 list price could save about $126 (3%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
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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.

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