CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast cost in Lincoln, NE

Prices at 3 hospitals in Lincoln, NE, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,390 — 13% below the US median ($1,601), roughly 8.2× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
CHI Health Nebraska Heart Lincoln, NE $1,198 $631 ★ 4/5 13.3%
CHI Health St. Elizabeth Lincoln, NE $1,390 $904 ★ 4/5 162 min 15.0%
Bryan Medical Center Lincoln, NE $1,667 $940 ★ 3/5 117 min 14.7%

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 July 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,779
Cash / self-pay
$1,390
Insurer-negotiated
$904
Medicare pays
$169
$1,237$1,612
Median cash $1,390  ·  Medicare $169  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,390 — about 8.2× the Medicare rate ($169). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($337).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,779 list price could save about $1,390 (50%).

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.

All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices in Nebraska → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Lincoln