Prices at 10 hospitals in Austin, TX, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,343 — 13% below the US median ($1,543), roughly 8.0× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Hills Surgical Hospital | Austin, TX | $267 | $237 | — | — | 14.4% |
| Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin | Austin, TX | $829 | $216 | ★ 3/5 | 186 min | 14.3% |
| Dell Seton Med Center at the University of Tx | Austin, TX | $829 | $220 | ★ 4/5 | 233 min | 14.9% |
| Ascension Seton Southwest | Austin, TX | $829 | $216 | — | 134 min | 14.8% |
| Ascension Seton Northwest | Austin, TX | $829 | $216 | ★ 4/5 | 159 min | 14.4% |
| Dell Children's Medical Center | Austin, TX | $1,857 | $237 | — | — | — |
| Texas Childrens Hospital North Austin Campus | Austin, TX | $2,877 | $2,574 | — | — | — |
| North Austin Medical Center | Austin, TX | $3,468 | $608 | ★ 3/5 | 156 min | 14.4% |
| St David's Medical Center | Austin, TX | $3,552 | $199 | ★ 4/5 | 161 min | 15.0% |
| St David's South Austin Medical Center | Austin, TX | $3,552 | $504 | ★ 3/5 | 149 min | 15.2% |
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)
Typical cash price here is $1,343 — about 8.0× 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 $2,478 list price could save about $1,135 (46%).
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) prices in Texas → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Austin