CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)
Facility: Watsonville Community Hospital
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 $386 (about 3.6× the $107 Medicare rate). Watsonville Community Hospital charges insurers about $1,119, or about $5,868 in cash — well above the fair price. Located in Watsonville, 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 $386. 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.
5 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 | $515 - $9,780 | 482% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $515 - $6,507 | 482% |
| Aetnamajor | $515 - $5,402 | 482% |
| Cignamajor | $515 - $6,846 | 482% |
| Humanamajor | $9,780 | 9156% |
| GEHA | $3,200 - $7,824 | 2996% |
| Health Net | $515 - $6,132 | 482% |
| UCare | $9,780 | 9156% |
| + 43 smaller / regional plans | $178 - $9,780 |
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 Watsonville Community Hospital
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.