CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast Cost

CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast is a diagnostic imaging scan. Prices are from 2289 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$1,329median cash price · 2289 hospitals, 52 statestypically $435–$3,527 depending on the hospital
≈ 10.2× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,321
Cash / self-pay
$1,329
Insurer-negotiated
$399
Medicare pays
$130
$435$3,527
Median cash $1,329  ·  Medicare $130  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,329 — about 10.2× the Medicare rate ($130). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($260).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,321 list price could save about $992 (43%).

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.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Calverthealth Medical Center Prince Frederick, MD $201 — ★ 5/5 200 min 14.3%
Medstar Harbor Hospital Baltimore, MD $203 $207 ★ 4/5 208 min 13.7%
Ochsner LSU Health Monroe Monroe, LA $204 $142 ★ 3/5 155 min 15.2%
Share Medical Center Alva, OK $204 $65 — 141 min 15.2%
Pih Health Downey Hospital Downey, CA $214 $144 ★ 4/5 240 min 16.5%
Duncan Regional Hospital, Inc Duncan, OK $217 $2,507 ★ 3/5 148 min 15.3%
Atlantic General Hospital Berlin, MD $217 $217 ★ 3/5 146 min 14.9%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston Galveston, TX $219 $140 ★ 3/5 191 min 16.0%
Citizens Memorial Hospital Bolivar, MO $220 $112 ★ 3/5 185 min 14.6%
Ochsner St Mary Morgan City, LA $221 $144 ★ 2/5 81 min 15.4%
Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport-St Mary Medical Cent Shreveport, LA $221 $144 ★ 2/5 — —
Lawrence Memorial Hospital Walnut Ridge, AR $221 $76 — 93 min 15.0%
White Mountain Regional Medical Center Springerville, AZ $221 $80 — 132 min 14.9%
Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Llc Oklahoma City, OK $222 $291 ★ 4/5 153 min 15.8%
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South, Llc Oklahoma City, OK $222 $291 ★ 5/5 141 min 14.2%
Community Memorial Hospital-Ojai Ojai, CA $223 $379 — 110 min 15.0%
Springhill Medical Center Mobile, AL $224 $764 ★ 3/5 146 min 15.6%
McGehee Hospital Mcgehee, AR $226 $297 — 142 min 14.9%
Adventist Healthcare Fort Washington Medical Ctr Fort Washington, MD $226 $231 ★ 4/5 214 min 14.9%
Ochsner American Legion Hospital Jennings, LA $228 $238 ★ 2/5 104 min 15.3%
Umd Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute Baltimore, MD $229 — — — —
Holy Cross Hospital Nogales, AZ $229 $102 — 141 min —
Holy Cross Hospital Silver Spring, MD $229 $102 ★ 2/5 314 min 15.5%
Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Niagara Falls, NY $231 $130 ★ 1/5 236 min 15.3%
Medstar Union Memorial Hospital Baltimore, MD $234 $239 ★ 5/5 216 min 13.5%

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 August 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.

What insurers pay for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast

Median in-network negotiated rate by insurer, across hospitals that publish it (cheapest first). Your actual rate depends on your specific plan and deductible. Cash / self-pay for comparison: $1,329; Medicare pays $130.

InsurerHospitalsNegotiated median
Univera 16
$101
$40 – $156
Medicaid 360
$105
$35 – $471
Amerigroup 176
$107
$71 – $451
Medicare 608
$108
$46 – $617
Devoted Health 179
$109
$97 – $611
Molina Healthcare 577
$115
$55 – $1,030
Tricare / VA 426
$118
$48 – $1,297
Highmark 133
$122
$76 – $228
Centene / Ambetter 819
$135
$62 – $907
Independent Health 32
$138
$50 – $214
SelectHealth 48
$147
$102 – $1,890
Bright Health 44
$156
$122 – $3,322
AmeriHealth 237
$169
$73 – $879
EmblemHealth 64
$170
$126 – $633
MVP Health Care 81
$181
$52 – $1,737
UnitedHealthcare 1607
$181
$79 – $2,084
Oscar Health 162
$186
$102 – $1,098
Kaiser Permanente 229
$191
$105 – $2,131
UPMC Health Plan 108
$192
$102 – $1,128
Geisinger 70
$193
$73 – $439
UCare 71
$210
$65 – $2,180
Priority Health 61
$216
$56 – $1,309
Anthem 598
$226
$75 – $1,144
Blue Cross Blue Shield 1361
$241
$85 – $2,100
Harvard Pilgrim 59
$249
$102 – $1,358
Humana 1064
$319
$85 – $1,636
Workers' Comp / No-Fault 159
$386
$129 – $2,056
Cigna 1198
$488
$106 – $2,832
Aetna 1488
$537
$96 – $2,575
HealthPartners 278
$544
$90 – $2,308
Medica 260
$841
$105 – $2,589
Security Health Plan 64
$881
$102 – $1,831
Sanford Health Plan 78
$1,004
$106 – $2,356
Health Net 344
$1,084
$105 – $5,473
Healthcare Highways 41
$1,389
$484 – $2,956
Coventry 158
$1,526
$122 – $3,730
MultiPlan / PHCS network 907
$1,947
$209 – $5,457
AvMed 65
$2,050
$570 – $4,264

Negotiated rates are from hospitals’ machine-readable files (45 CFR §180); payer names are normalized to major brands, so a brand may span several plans. Estimates — confirm with your insurer.

Where it’s cheapest

StateMedian cash
Maryland$201
Puerto Rico$250
Rhode Island$304
New Jersey$509
Tennessee$662
Mississippi$662

Prices by city

Chicago, ILAustin, TXPhiladelphia, PABaltimore, MDDallas, TXNew York, NYSacramento, CACincinnati, OHFort Worth, TXLos Angeles, CAOklahoma City, OKBaton Rouge, LABronx, NYBrooklyn, NYCharlotte, NCCleveland, OHHouston, TXOmaha, NESaint Louis, MOBirmingham, ALKansas City, MOLittle Rock, ARMilwaukee, WINashville, TN

Prices by state

CaliforniaTexasOhioWisconsinIllinoisNew YorkMinnesotaPennsylvaniaNorth CarolinaFloridaMichiganLouisianaGeorgiaIowaTennesseeColoradoMissouriNebraskaOklahomaKentuckyArkansasKansasSouth DakotaIndianaVirginiaArizonaWashingtonMississippiNew JerseyMassachusettsWest VirginiaAlabamaMaineSouth CarolinaMarylandNorth DakotaOregonIdahoMontanaConnecticutUtahNew HampshireNew MexicoNevadaPuerto RicoWyomingHawaiiVermontDelawareAlaskaRhode IslandWashington DC

Doctors who perform this

Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.

ClinicianSpecialtyLocationMedicare services
Giuseppe CruciataDiagnostic RadiologyStony Brook, NY408
Peter Campbell, M.D.NeurosurgeryShreveport, LA404
Marcel Maya, MDDiagnostic RadiologyLos Angeles, CA375
Vishal Patel, MDDiagnostic RadiologyStony Brook, NY374
Robert Peyster, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyStony Brook, NY333
Anton Beitia, MDDiagnostic RadiologyStony Brook, NY331
Matthew Dobbs, MDDiagnostic RadiologyAuburn, AL325
Charles Crum, MDDiagnostic RadiologyTyler, TX315
James Carson, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyEvansville, IN307
Prachi Dubey, M.B.B.SDiagnostic RadiologyHouston, TX306
Patricia Roche, D.O.Diagnostic RadiologyStony Brook, NY300
Jerry Polasek, M.D.Diagnostic RadiologyHouston, TX300

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast?

Yes — Medicare generally covers CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast. It is typically an outpatient service under Medicare Part B, with a Medicare-approved amount of about $130. After your annual Part B deductible, you typically owe the 20% coinsurance — roughly $26 — unless a Medicare Advantage or supplemental (Medigap) plan covers it.

General guidance from Medicare’s national rates — your actual coverage and share depend on medical necessity, your plan, and where the service is performed. Confirm with Medicare or your plan.

About these prices

Based on prices published by 2289 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $1,329, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $2,321, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $399, a Medicare rate of about $130. Most cash prices fall between $435 and $3,527 — a wide spread, which is exactly why comparing hospitals pays off.

How to save

  • Ask each hospital for its cash / self-pay price — for shoppable services it is often far below the list price.
  • Compare several nearby hospitals; prices for the same service can differ severalfold.
  • Request a written estimate and the billing code (CPT/DRG) before scheduling.
  • Use the Medicare benchmark above to judge whether a quote is reasonable.
  • If you are uninsured, ask about financial assistance or prompt-pay discounts.

Frequently asked questions

How much does CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast cost without insurance?
The median cash (self-pay) price across 2289 US hospitals is $1,329. Most hospitals fall between $435 and $3,527. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.
Does Medicare cover CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast?
Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part B as an outpatient service (Medicare-approved amount about $130). After your Part B deductible you typically owe 20% coinsurance, unless a Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan covers it.
What does Medicare pay for CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast?
Medicare pays about $130. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.
Why do CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices vary between hospitals?
Hospitals set their own chargemaster and cash prices and negotiate different rates with each insurer, so two hospitals in the same area can charge very differently for the same service.
Is the cash price lower than using insurance?
Sometimes. If you are uninsured or have a high deductible, the cash/self-pay price can be lower than the insurer-negotiated rate — ask the hospital for both.

Related Imaging & Radiology

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See more Imaging & Radiology.