Prices at 3 hospitals in Saint Paul, MN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $173 — 42% below the US median ($297), roughly 4.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regions Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $132 | $114 | ★ 3/5 | 231 min | — |
| Allina United Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $173 | $195 | ★ 3/5 | 182 min | — |
| Gillette Childrens Specialty Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $318 | $293 | — | — | — |
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 $173 — about 4.3× 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 $508 list price could save about $335 (66%).
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 Saint Paul
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Mcmillan, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Saint Paul, MN | 318 |
| Paul Oler, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Saint Paul, MN | 95 |
| Marland Gilbert, D.C, MSPAS, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Saint Paul, MN | 30 |
| Gregory Taylor, MD | Diagnostic Radiology | Saint Paul, MN | 26 |
| Chase Davis, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Saint Paul, MN | 23 |
All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices in Minnesota → · All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (2 views) prices (national) · All hospitals in Saint Paul