Prices at 3 hospitals in Augusta, GA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $275 — 8% below the US median ($297), roughly 6.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Augusta Hospital | Augusta, GA | $275 | $239 | ★ 2/5 | 204 min | — |
| Augusta VA Medical Center | Augusta, GA | $275 | $239 | ★ 4/5 | — | — |
| Doctors Hospital | Augusta, GA | $1,848 | $66 | ★ 3/5 | 174 min | — |
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 October 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 $275 — about 6.8× the Medicare rate ($40). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($81).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $915 list price could save about $641 (70%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Augusta
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Parfenchuck, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 231 |
| James Raley, M.D. | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 225 |
| Shawn Gunder, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Augusta, GA | 212 |
| Anthony Palazzo, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Augusta, GA | 126 |
| Richard Kelly, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 116 |
| Clarence Joe, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 81 |
| Bernard Scherer, PA | Physician Assistant | Augusta, GA | 75 |
| Donald Smallwood, D.O. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 61 |
| Judah Johnson, P.A. | Physician Assistant | Augusta, GA | 58 |
| John Franklin, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 47 |
| Lloyd Schnuck, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 43 |
| Randall Meredith, M.D. | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 37 |
All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices in Georgia → · All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices (national) · All hospitals in Augusta