Prices at 5 hospitals in Birmingham, AL, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $647 — 58% below the US median ($1,538), roughly 3.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Vincent's East | Birmingham, AL | $647 | $325 | ★ 3/5 | 158 min | — |
| St Vincent's Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | $647 | $325 | ★ 3/5 | 243 min | — |
| The Children's Hospital of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $759 | $856 | — | — | — |
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 $647 — about 3.8× 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 $1,764 list price could save about $1,117 (63%).
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 Alabama → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Birmingham