CMS Price Transparency Data

CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)

Facility: Banner Thunderbird Medical Center

Billing Code: 72131 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$113

about 1.1× the $107 Medicare rate · typically $113–$151

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$113

About the fair price

1.1× Medicare

Medicare pays $107 Fair price $113 This hospital $113 Cash price $500 Hospital's list price $2,593

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other AZ hospitals

Highest price of the 9 AZ hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.

Cheapest $50 Priciest $113

Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 AZ hospitals with a price for this procedure. Full list below.

⚠ The cash price looks unusually high next to the insurance price — it may be the full list price, not a real cash discount. Call to confirm the self-pay rate.

A fair price for a CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) is about $113 (about 1.1× the $107 Medicare rate). Banner Thunderbird Medical Center charges insurers about $113, or about $500 in cash — about the fair price. Located in Glendale, AZ.

What each insurance company pays

Which insurers have negotiated a price with this hospital for this procedure — and which haven’t.

6 of 6 major insurers have a published price at this hospital

✓ UnitedHealthcare✓ Blue Cross Blue Shield✓ Aetna✓ Cigna✓ Humana✓ Kaiser Permanente

Crossed out = this hospital hasn’t published a negotiated price for that insurer for this procedure. It doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t accepted — ask your insurer.

Insurance company	Price range	vs. Medicare
UnitedHealthcaremajor	$113 - $552	106%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$113 - $609	106%
Aetnamajor	$113 - $1,496	106%
Cignamajor	$113 - $1,126	106%
Humanamajor	$117	110%
Kaiser Permanentemajor	$113	106%
Banner Health	$79 - $113	74%
Devoted Health	$119	111%
Health Net	$79 - $168	74%
Oscar Health	$187	175%
UPMC Health Plan	$113	106%
+ 14 smaller / regional plans	$73 - $1,945

Government programs also on file: Military & VA.

Self-Pay How to get the cash price

Tell the billing desk you want to be billed as self-pay — not through insurance — before your visit.
Ask for the cash / prompt-pay discount in writing, with the exact price (about 500), before you agree to anything.
Get it in writing that they won’t also bill your insurance, so the cash price is what you owe.
Check the CPT code on your bill matches exactly: 72131.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Banner Thunderbird Medical Center is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 72131.
Confirm the doctor or provider is in-network too — not just the hospital building.
Check your Explanation of Benefits against the hospital’s final itemized bill.

Estimate your out-of-pocket cost

A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.

How you’d pay

Deductible left to meet ($)

Your coinsurance (%)

Enter your details and press estimate to compare.

Other Procedures at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center

Compare: CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) at other AZ hospitals

Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.