Prices at 5 hospitals in Albuquerque, NM, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $42 — 12% above the US median ($38), roughly 12.1× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Desert Behavioral Health Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $9 | — | — | — | — |
| Unm Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $10 | $4 | ★ 2/5 | 273 min | — |
| Lovelace Medical Center | Albuquerque, NM | $42 | $127 | ★ 2/5 | 212 min | — |
| Lovelace Women's Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $42 | $127 | ★ 4/5 | 205 min | — |
| Lovelace Westside Hospital | Albuquerque, NM | $42 | $127 | ★ 4/5 | 159 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 $42 — about 12.1× the Medicare rate ($3). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($7).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $141 list price could save about $99 (70%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
All Sedimentation rate (ESR) test prices in New Mexico → · All Sedimentation rate (ESR) test prices (national) · All hospitals in Albuquerque