CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with and without contrast cost in Lincoln, NE

Prices at 3 hospitals in Lincoln, NE, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,449 — 17% below the US median ($1,748), roughly 7.4× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
CHI Health Nebraska Heart Lincoln, NE $1,333 $695 ★ 4/5 13.3%
CHI Health St. Elizabeth Lincoln, NE $1,449 $1,120 ★ 4/5 162 min 15.0%
Bryan Medical Center Lincoln, NE $1,742 $456 ★ 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)
$2,897
Cash / self-pay
$1,449
Insurer-negotiated
$695
Medicare pays
$197
$1,356$1,683
Median cash $1,449  ·  Medicare $197  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,449 — about 7.4× the Medicare rate ($197). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($393).

💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $2,897 list price could save about $1,449 (50%).

Estimate what you’ll pay
Quick fill:

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 and without contrast prices in Nebraska → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with and without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Lincoln