CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) cost in Cincinnati, OH

Prices at 8 hospitals in Cincinnati, OH, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $1,012 — 34% below the US median ($1,538), roughly 6.0× the Medicare rate.

Lowest cash prices

HospitalLocationCashInsurerCMS ratingER waitReadmit
Good Samaritan Hospital Cincinnati, OH $303 — ★ 4/5 157 min —
Bethesda North Cincinnati, OH $303 — ★ 3/5 155 min —
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH $458 $239 — — —
Mercy Health-Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH $1,012 — ★ 4/5 159 min —
The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH $1,012 — ★ 4/5 140 min —
Mercy Health-West Hospital Cincinnati, OH $1,012 — ★ 4/5 142 min —
Christ Hospital Cincinnati, OH $1,054 $330 ★ 5/5 172 min —
University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Llc Cincinnati, OH $1,107 $301 ★ 3/5 250 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 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)

Chargemaster (list price)
$1,687
Cash / self-pay
$1,012
Insurer-negotiated
$301
Medicare pays
$169
$303$1,070
Median cash $1,012  ·  Medicare $169  ·  bar = typical cash range (10th–90th percentile)
Is this a fair price?
1× Medicarefair ≈2×5×+

Typical cash price here is $1,012 — about 6.0× 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 $1,687 list price could save about $675 (40%).

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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.

All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices in Ohio → · All CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) prices (national) · All hospitals in Cincinnati