Lumbar discectomy Cost (2026) — Compare Hospital Prices

Lumbar discectomy is a surgical procedure. Prices are from 1375 US hospitals across 52 states, from their machine-readable files.

$7,046median cash price · 1375 hospitals, 52 statestypically $1,872–$25,707 depending on the hospital

≈ 7.8× Medicare · High vs MedicareFind hospitals near you

Price comparison (median)

Chargemaster (list price)

$12,582

Cash / self-pay

$7,046

Insurer-negotiated

$7,330

Medicare pays

$898

$1,872$25,707

Median cash $7,046 · Medicare $898 · bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)

Is this a fair price?

1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $7,046 — about 7.8× the Medicare rate ($898). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($1,796).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $12,582 list price could save about $5,536 (44%).

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

See negotiated rates for your insurer:

Hospital	Location	Cash	Insurer	CMS rating	ER wait	Readmit
Grove Hill Memorial Hospital	Grove Hill, AL	$1,081	$6,698	—	162 min	—
Jefferson Health-Northeast	Philadelphia, PA	$1,087	$1,233	★ 2/5	290 min	15.4%
Unity Health-Jacksonville	Jacksonville, AR	$1,221	—	—	130 min	15.2%
Unity Health-Newport	Newport, AR	$1,221	—	—	104 min	15.4%
Family Health West Hospital	Fruita, CO	$1,279	—	—	—	15.2%
Vanderbilt Bedford Hospital	Shelbyville, TN	$1,285	$1,629	★ 4/5	123 min	13.6%
Vanderbilt Tullahoma-Harton Hospital	Tullahoma, TN	$1,285	$1,506	★ 3/5	173 min	15.1%
Edward W Sparrow Hospital	Lansing, MI	$1,291	$7,144	★ 3/5	301 min	13.6%
South Central Reg Med Ctr	Laurel, MS	$1,376	$3,486	★ 1/5	129 min	16.9%
Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital	Lebanon, NH	$1,399	$2,006	★ 4/5	120 min	15.3%
Regional West Medical Center	Scottsbluff, NE	$1,407	$1,674	★ 2/5	201 min	14.9%
Ellis Hospital	Schenectady, NY	$1,435	$974	★ 3/5	232 min	14.9%
M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital	Burnsville, MN	$1,498	$1,608	★ 4/5	193 min	13.8%
University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston	Galveston, TX	$1,502	$2,399	★ 3/5	191 min	16.0%
Cedar-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital	Marina Del Rey, CA	$1,551	$10,097	★ 4/5	180 min	15.1%
Unity Hospital	Rochester, NY	$1,568	$842	★ 2/5	294 min	15.3%
Unity Specialty Hospital	Rochester, NY	$1,568	$842	—	—	—
Brattleboro Memorial Hospital	Brattleboro, VT	$1,583	$2,104	★ 3/5	176 min	14.4%
Community Memorial Hospital	Cloquet, MN	$1,625	$2,425	—	128 min	15.2%
Southwest General Health Center	Middleburg Heights, OH	$1,650	$870	★ 4/5	199 min	15.2%
Lake Region Healthcare Corporation	Fergus Falls, MN	$1,673	$973	★ 4/5	147 min	13.8%
Baylor Surgical Hospital at Las Colinas	Irving, TX	$1,676	$8,239	—	71 min	14.9%
Children's Mercy South	Overland Park, KS	$1,707	$1,572	—	—	—
The Children's Mercy Hospital	Kansas City, MO	$1,707	$1,572	—	—	—
Southwestern Vermont Medical Center	Bennington, VT	$1,708	—	★ 3/5	196 min	15.8%

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 Lumbar discectomy

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: $7,046; Medicare pays $898.

Insurer	Hospitals	Negotiated median
Medicaid	148	$328 $54 – $2,053
Medicare	257	$432 $70 – $2,053
Tricare / VA	176	$461 $75 – $6,999
Highmark	86	$580 $77 – $7,696
Univera	11	$636 $107 – $1,409
Health Net	119	$723 $85 – $9,825
Centene / Ambetter	491	$725 $75 – $9,878
Blue Cross Blue Shield	742	$790 $106 – $12,383
Kaiser Permanente	142	$813 $79 – $10,528
Anthem	354	$900 $106 – $12,906
MVP Health Care	45	$926 $346 – $13,451
Sanford Health Plan	28	$927 $328 – $6,787
Molina Healthcare	393	$1,028 $98 – $7,616
MultiPlan / PHCS network	162	$1,146 $121 – $11,472
Independent Health	25	$1,190 $457 – $2,053
Geisinger	34	$1,197 $192 – $7,527
AmeriHealth	99	$1,197 $192 – $8,372
HealthPartners	92	$1,209 $228 – $7,215
Coventry	53	$1,309 $201 – $11,475
Priority Health	34	$1,490 $204 – $7,073
Security Health Plan	27	$2,053 $439 – $9,418
Harvard Pilgrim	22	$2,053 $328 – $10,282
UCare	35	$2,156 $615 – $7,228
Amerigroup	110	$2,518 $457 – $7,149
Bright Health	39	$2,559 $1,876 – $5,558
Medica	61	$2,782 $641 – $7,751
Workers' Comp / No-Fault	43	$2,817 $2,817 – $12,412
Aetna	832	$4,332 $328 – $13,140
SelectHealth	35	$4,882 $625 – $11,612
UPMC Health Plan	55	$5,108 $657 – $15,444
UnitedHealthcare	895	$5,477 $328 – $15,074
Humana	618	$6,559 $143 – $16,840
Cigna	614	$7,040 $409 – $22,585
Devoted Health	103	$7,179 $6,606 – $8,459
Oscar Health	129	$8,024 $1,000 – $14,192
Healthcare Highways	32	$8,858 $8,517 – $9,565
EmblemHealth	37	$10,869 $2,053 – $57,245
AvMed	33	$11,933 $328 – $26,390

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

State	Median cash
Alabama	$2,694
New York	$2,958
South Carolina	$2,975
Massachusetts	$3,275
North Carolina	$3,544
Delaware	$3,831

Prices by city

Prices by state

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.

Clinician	Specialty	Location	Medicare services
Gus Halamandaris, MD	Neurosurgery	Salinas, CA	64
Paul Ky	Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation	Fresno, CA	62
Timothy Vanfleet, MD	Orthopedic Surgery	Springfield, IL	60
Sally Vespa, P.A.-C.	Physician Assistant	Springfield, IL	59
Michael Lay, PA	Physician Assistant	La Jolla, CA	52
Michelle Mitchell, NP	Nurse Practitioner	Palo Alto, CA	46
Robert Eastlack, M.D.	Orthopedic Surgery	La Jolla, CA	46
Michael Seese, PA-C	Physician Assistant	Jacksonville, FL	43
Bradley Wallace, MD	Neurosurgery	Jacksonville, FL	43
Tyler Knudsen, MMS,PA-C	Physician Assistant	Phoenix, AZ	41
Christian Zimmerman, MD	Neurosurgery	Boise, ID	40
Christopher Barry, M.D.	Neurosurgery	Edmond, OK	39

Browse doctors by specialty & city →

Does Medicare cover Lumbar discectomy?

Yes — Medicare generally covers Lumbar discectomy. It is typically an inpatient service, so Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) pays the hospital a bundled rate — Medicare’s benchmark payment is about $898. Your own cost is mainly the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period (a flat amount, not a percentage), plus any physician (Part B) charges. A Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan can change what you owe.

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 1375 US hospitals across 52 states, the typical (median) cash price is $7,046, versus a chargemaster (list) price around $12,582, a median insurer-negotiated rate of $7,330, a Medicare rate of about $898. Most cash prices fall between $1,872 and $25,707 — 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 Lumbar discectomy cost without insurance?

The median cash (self-pay) price across 1375 US hospitals is $7,046. Most hospitals fall between $1,872 and $25,707. Prices vary widely between hospitals, so it pays to compare before you book.

Does Medicare cover Lumbar discectomy?

Yes — it is generally covered under Medicare Part A as an inpatient service (Medicare's benchmark payment is about $898). You pay the Part A hospital deductible for the benefit period, plus any Part B physician charges.

What does Medicare pay for Lumbar discectomy?

Medicare pays about $898. We show this as a benchmark — a fair cash price is often within a few multiples of the Medicare rate.

Why do Lumbar discectomy 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.

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