Prices at 3 hospitals in Charleston, SC, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $306 — 3% above the US median ($298), roughly 7.6× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bon Secours-St Francis Xavier Hospital | Charleston, SC | $306 | — | ★ 3/5 | 153 min | — |
| Roper Hospital | Charleston, SC | $306 | — | ★ 4/5 | 96 min | — |
| Trident Medical Center | Charleston, SC | $1,345 | $113 | ★ 3/5 | 126 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 September 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 $306 — about 7.6× 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 $471 list price could save about $165 (35%).
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 Charleston
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Chapin, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 577 |
| Robert Devita, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 378 |
| John Hughes, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 373 |
| Sandra Rutigliano, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 214 |
| Jacob Kahn, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 206 |
| James Aymond, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Charleston, SC | 162 |
| Michael Klodnicki, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 151 |
| Jared Mills, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 139 |
| Emily Darr, M.D. | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Charleston, SC | 129 |
| Michael Wildstein, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Charleston, SC | 107 |
| John Hulvey, M.D. | Sports Medicine | Charleston, SC | 105 |
| Robert Andrews, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Charleston, SC | 96 |
All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices in South Carolina → · All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices (national) · All hospitals in Charleston