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

Prices at 25 hospitals in Massachusetts, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $2,601 — 49% above the US median ($1,748), roughly 13.2× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital Brockton, MA $624 $256 ★ 3/5 208 min
Sturdy Memorial Hospital Attleboro, MA $716 ★ 3/5 194 min
Holyoke Medical Center Holyoke, MA $720 $219 ★ 4/5 253 min
Cape Cod Hospital Hyannis, MA $886 $249 ★ 2/5 201 min
Falmouth Hospital Falmouth, MA $899 $249 ★ 4/5 160 min
Cambridge Health Alliance Cambridge, MA $1,020 $1,020 ★ 3/5 153 min
Mercy Medical Ctr Springfield, MA $1,086 $231 ★ 2/5 275 min
Tufts Medical Center Boston, MA $1,086 $752 ★ 2/5 208 min
Emerson Hospital W Concord, MA $1,400 $497 ★ 5/5 208 min
Milford Regional Medical Center Milford, MA $2,236 ★ 4/5 274 min
Athol Memorial Hospital Athol, MA $2,277 $427 ★ 2/5 174 min
Heywood Hospital Gardner, MA $2,357 $413 ★ 2/5 192 min
Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA $2,601 $211 ★ 5/5 288 min
Boston Medical Center-Brighton Brighton, MA $2,605 $265 ★ 3/5 146 min
Berkshire Medical Center Pittsfield, MA $2,666 $1,608 ★ 4/5 254 min
Fairview Hospital Great Barrington, MA $2,666 $1,743 ★ 5/5 113 min
North Adams Regional Hospital Corporation North Adams, MA $2,666 $1,560 154 min
Umass Memorial Healthalliance Hospitals Leominster, MA $4,229 $679 ★ 3/5 253 min
Umass Memorial Health-Harrington Hospital Southbridge, MA $4,229 $679 ★ 3/5 209 min
Umass Memorial Healthcare-Marlborough Hospital Marlborough, MA $4,229 $679 ★ 2/5 226 min
Umass Memorial Medical Center/university Campus Worcester, MA $4,229 $679 ★ 3/5 291 min
Adcare Hospital of Worcester Inc Worcester, MA $6,093 $503
St Vincent Hospital Worcester, MA $6,093 $503 ★ 2/5 206 min
The Shriners' Hospital for Children-Boston Boston, MA $6,834 $224
North Shore Medical Center Salem, MA $11,223 $248 ★ 5/5 271 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$2,807
Cash / self-pay
$2,601
Insurer-negotiated
$497
Medicare pays
$197
$787$6,093
Median cash $2,601  ·  Medicare $197  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $2,601 — about 13.2× 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 $2,807 list price could save about $206 (7%).

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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.

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CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) with and without contrast cost in other states

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