CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)
Facility: Salinas Valley Memorial 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 $204 (about 1.9× the $107 Medicare rate). Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital charges insurers about $300, or about $6,422 in cash — above the fair price. Located in Salinas, 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 $204. 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 | $4,135 - $5,137 | 3871% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $2,744 - $4,380 | 2569% |
| Aetnamajor | $5,779 | 5411% |
| Cignamajor | $4,495 | 4208% |
| Humanamajor | $5,779 | 5411% |
| Health Net | $6,422 | 6013% |
| + 6 smaller / regional plans | $138 - $5,330 |
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 Salinas Valley Memorial 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.