Prices at 3 hospitals in Washington DC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,342 — 33% above the US median ($1,754), roughly 11.9× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard University Hospital Corp | Washington, DC | $1,693 | $746 | ★ 1/5 | 232 min | 14.9% |
| Medstar Washington Hospital Center | Washington, DC | $2,342 | $1,009 | ★ 3/5 | 400 min | 14.4% |
| Medstar Georgetown University Hospital | Washington, DC | $2,410 | $1,038 | ★ 3/5 | 371 min | 14.7% |
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)
Typical cash price here is $2,342 — about 11.9× 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 $3,603 list price could save about $1,261 (35%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
By city
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 Washington DC →