Prices at 4 hospitals in Knoxville, TN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $696 — 55% below the US median ($1,543), roughly 4.1× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parkwest Medical Center | Knoxville, TN | $544 | $276 | ★ 3/5 | 259 min | 14.9% |
| Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center | Knoxville, TN | $562 | $342 | ★ 3/5 | 242 min | 15.1% |
| University Health System, Inc | Knoxville, TN | $830 | $1,991 | ★ 4/5 | 245 min | 14.9% |
| East Tennessee Childrens Hospital | Knoxville, TN | $830 | $1,991 | — | — | — |
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.
Price comparison (median)
Typical cash price here is $696 — about 4.1× 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 $2,566 list price could save about $1,870 (73%).
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) prices in Tennessee → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Knoxville