Prices at 14 hospitals in North Dakota, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $949 — 14% above the US median ($830), roughly 5.8× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHI St Alexius Health Dickinson | Dickinson, ND | $183 | $256 | ★ 2/5 | 174 min | — |
| CHI St Alexius Health Williston | Williston, ND | $431 | $446 | ★ 3/5 | 156 min | — |
| Jamestown Regional Medical Center | Jamestown, ND | $608 | $565 | ★ 4/5 | 109 min | — |
| CHI St Alexius Health | Bismarck, ND | $872 | $1,090 | ★ 4/5 | 176 min | — |
| Garrison Memorial Hospital | Garrison, ND | $872 | $1,090 | — | 102 min | — |
| CHI St Alexius Health Turtle Lake | Turtle Lake, ND | $910 | $949 | — | 104 min | — |
| Essentia Health | Fargo, ND | $930 | $828 | ★ 3/5 | 108 min | — |
| Mountrail County Medical Center Inc | Stanley, ND | $968 | $968 | — | 83 min | — |
| Altru Hospital | Grand Forks, ND | $1,190 | $940 | ★ 3/5 | 177 min | — |
| Sanford Mayville | Mayville, ND | $1,209 | $1,247 | — | 99 min | — |
| Sanford Hillsboro | Hillsboro, ND | $1,209 | $1,247 | — | 72 min | — |
| South Central Health | Wishek, ND | $1,231 | — | — | 98 min | — |
| Sanford Medical Center Bismarck | Bismarck, ND | $1,305 | $1,146 | ★ 4/5 | 180 min | — |
| Sanford Medical Center Fargo | Fargo, ND | $1,467 | $945 | ★ 4/5 | 181 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)
Typical cash price here is $949 — about 5.8× 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 $1,282 list price could save about $333 (26%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture) cost in other states
All Spinal tap (lumbar puncture) prices (national) → · All hospitals in North Dakota →