CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)
Facility: Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr
Billing Code: 72131 (CPT)
Highest price of the 9 CA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.
Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 CA 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 $133 (about 1.2× the $107 Medicare rate). Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr charges insurers about $178, or about $1,673 in cash — above the fair price. Located in San Diego, CA.
This price is above the fair BaseRate — you may be able to pay less
Ask the hospital for the cash / self-pay price, check whether you qualify for financial assistance, or negotiate the bill down toward the fair price of about $133. Many patients pay well below the first number they’re quoted — the checklists below walk you through it.
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
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 | $178 - $3,649 | 167% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $178 - $1,837 | 167% |
| Aetnamajor | $365 - $1,329 | 342% |
| Cignamajor | $365 - $1,825 | 342% |
| Humanamajor | $365 - $2,585 | 342% |
| Kaiser Permanentemajor | $2,037 - $3,041 | 1907% |
| Health Net | $241 - $8,545 | 226% |
| HealthPartners | $669 | 626% |
| Molina | $225 | 211% |
| Sentara | $259 | 242% |
| + 68 smaller / regional plans | $106 - $4,105 |
Self-Pay How to get the cash price
Insurance Before you use insurance
Estimate your out-of-pocket cost
A rough estimate of what you’d pay with insurance (deductible + coinsurance) versus paying the cash price yourself.
Other Procedures at Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr
Compare: CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) at other CA hospitals
- Saint Agnes Medical Center · Fresno $32
- Mayers Memorial Hospital · Fall River Mills $48
- Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA · Los Angeles $58
- Adventist Health Vallejo · Vallejo $62
- Trinity Hospital · Weaverville $77
- Adventist Health Howard Memorial · Willits $81
- Adventist Health Tehachapi Valley · Tehachapi $86
- Adventist Health Mendocino Coast · Fort Bragg $91
Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.