Prices at 5 hospitals in Albuquerque, NM, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $381 — 4% below the US median ($395), roughly 7.1× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unm Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $222 | $103 | ★ 2/5 | 279 min | 15.3% |
| Lovelace Medical Center | Albuquerque, NM | $381 | $1,144 | ★ 2/5 | 217 min | 14.9% |
| Lovelace Women's Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $381 | $1,144 | ★ 4/5 | 199 min | 14.0% |
| Lovelace Westside Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $381 | $1,144 | ★ 4/5 | 154 min | 15.2% |
| Central Desert Behavioral Health Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $425 | — | — | — | — |
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 June 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 $381 — about 7.1× the Medicare rate ($53). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($107).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,271 list price could save about $890 (70%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (4+ views) prices in New Mexico → · All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (4+ views) prices (national) · All hospitals in Albuquerque