Prices at 6 hospitals in Baltimore, MD, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $695 — 16% below the US median ($830), roughly 4.2× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Baltimore Medical Center | Baltimore, MD | $306 | $142 | ★ 5/5 | 228 min | — |
| Kennedy Krieger Institute | Baltimore, MD | $660 | $184 | — | — | — |
| University of Md Medical Center Midtown Campus | Baltimore, MD | $689 | — | ★ 3/5 | 243 min | — |
| University of Maryland Medical Center | Baltimore, MD | $701 | — | ★ 3/5 | 309 min | — |
| Mercy Medical Center Inc | Baltimore, MD | $3,460 | — | ★ 3/5 | 237 min | — |
| VA Maryland Healthcare System-Baltimore | Baltimore, MD | $3,460 | — | ★ 2/5 | — | — |
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 $695 — about 4.2× the Medicare rate ($165). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($330).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $770 list price could save about $75 (10%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Doctors who perform this in Baltimore
Clinicians who reported the most Medicare volume for this service locally. This reflects Original Medicare activity only and is a volume signal, not a quality ranking.
| Clinician | Specialty | Location | Medicare services |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kristina Khingelova, P.A.-C. | Physician Assistant | Baltimore, MD | 28 |
| Charles Lim, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Baltimore, MD | 23 |
| David Lichtman, P.A. | Physician Assistant | Baltimore, MD | 18 |
| Nicholas Frost | Neurology | Baltimore, MD | 14 |
All Spinal tap (lumbar puncture) prices in Maryland → · All Spinal tap (lumbar puncture) prices (national) · All hospitals in Baltimore