Prices at 3 hospitals in Saint Paul, MN, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $432 — 68% below the US median ($1,329), roughly 3.3× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regions Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $428 | $115 | ★ 3/5 | 231 min | — |
| Allina United Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $432 | $406 | ★ 3/5 | 182 min | — |
| Gillette Childrens Specialty Hospital | Saint Paul, MN | $1,824 | $208 | — | — | — |
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 $432 — about 3.3× the Medicare rate ($130). On the higher side. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($260).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,645 list price could save about $1,213 (74%).
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) without contrast prices in Minnesota → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast prices (national) · All hospitals in Saint Paul