Prices at 3 hospitals in Augusta, GA, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $343 — 13% below the US median ($396), roughly 6.4× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont Augusta Hospital | Augusta, GA | $343 | $269 | ★ 2/5 | 204 min | — |
| Augusta VA Medical Center | Augusta, GA | $343 | $269 | ★ 4/5 | — | — |
| Doctors Hospital | Augusta, GA | $2,620 | $88 | ★ 3/5 | 174 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 $343 — about 6.4× the Medicare rate ($53). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($107).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $1,142 list price could save about $800 (70%).
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 Augusta
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Kelly, M.D. | Diagnostic Radiology | Augusta, GA | 160 |
| Jean Guitton, MD | Neurosurgery | Augusta, GA | 33 |
| Gregory Oetting, M.D. | Neurosurgery | Augusta, GA | 25 |
| Shawn Gunder, PA-C | Physician Assistant | Augusta, GA | 23 |
| Thomas Parfenchuck, MD | Orthopedic Surgery | Augusta, GA | 19 |
All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (4+ views) prices in Georgia → · All X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine) (4+ views) prices (national) · All hospitals in Augusta