Prices at 56 hospitals in Iowa, from their machine-readable files. Here the median cash price is $256 — 12% below the US median ($291), roughly 7.1× the Medicare rate.
Lowest cash prices
| Hospital | Location | Cash | Insurer | CMS rating | ER wait | Readmit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Down | Iowa City, IA | $46 | $58 | ★ 4/5 | 149 min | — |
| University of Iowa Hospital & Clinics | Iowa City, IA | $46 | $58 | ★ 2/5 | 210 min | — |
| Mercyone North Iowa Medical Center | Mason City, IA | $85 | $25 | ★ 2/5 | 193 min | — |
| Clarke County Hospital | Osceola, IA | $94 | $40 | ★ 5/5 | 104 min | — |
| Greater Regional Medical Center | Creston, IA | $96 | $156 | ★ 3/5 | 101 min | — |
| Unitypoint Health-Marshalltown | Marshalltown, IA | $97 | $47 | ★ 3/5 | 162 min | — |
| Allen Hospital | Waterloo, IA | $97 | $42 | ★ 3/5 | 163 min | — |
| Methodist Jennie Edmundson | Council Bluffs, IA | $125 | $168 | ★ 3/5 | 150 min | — |
| CHI Health-Mercy Corning | Corning, IA | $130 | $136 | ★ 3/5 | 124 min | — |
| CHI Health Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley, IA | $133 | $117 | ★ 4/5 | 105 min | — |
| Keokuk County Health Center | Sigourney, IA | $144 | $159 | — | 116 min | — |
| Van Diest Medical Center | Webster City, IA | $151 | $132 | ★ 5/5 | 103 min | — |
| Cherokee Regional Medical Center | Cherokee, IA | $158 | $165 | ★ 2/5 | 134 min | — |
| Buena Vista Regional Medical Center | Storm Lake, IA | $179 | $190 | ★ 2/5 | 152 min | — |
| Humboldt County Memorial Hospital | Humboldt, IA | $185 | $175 | — | 100 min | — |
| Greene County Medical Center | Jefferson, IA | $201 | $337 | — | 104 min | — |
| CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs | Council Bluffs, IA | $207 | $106 | ★ 5/5 | 171 min | — |
| Ringgold County Hospital | Mount Ayr, IA | $212 | $234 | — | 128 min | — |
| Stewart Memorial Community Hospital | Lake City, IA | $225 | — | — | 127 min | — |
| Pocahontas Community Hospital | Pocahontas, IA | $242 | $208 | — | 120 min | — |
| Finley Hospital | Dubuque, IA | $249 | $49 | ★ 3/5 | 114 min | — |
| Palo Alto County Hospital | Emmetsburg, IA | $253 | $321 | — | 103 min | — |
| St Lukes Hospital | Cedar Rapids, IA | $255 | $39 | ★ 4/5 | 166 min | — |
| St Lukes Regional Medical Center | Sioux City, IA | $255 | $39 | ★ 2/5 | 174 min | — |
| Spencer Municipal Hospital | Spencer, IA | $255 | $104 | ★ 4/5 | 128 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 $256 — about 7.1× the Medicare rate ($36). High vs Medicare. A fair cash price is usually within ~2× Medicare ($72).
💡 Asking for the cash price instead of the $359 list price could save about $102 (29%).
Rough estimate from this procedure’s median insurer-negotiated rate. Your actual cost depends on your plan — confirm with your insurer.
X-ray of the mid-back (thoracic spine) cost in other states
All X-ray of the mid-back (thoracic spine) prices (national) → · All hospitals in Iowa →