CMS Price Transparency Data

X-ray, neck (cervical spine)

Facility: Childrens Hospital

Billing Code: 72040 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price medium confidence

A fair price for this

$106

about 1.2× the $89 Medicare rate · typically $37–$164

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$147

Above the fair price

about $41 over the fair price · 1.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $89 Fair price $106 This hospital $147 Cash price $162 Hospital's list price $601

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other LA hospitals

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

Cheapest $20 Priciest $147

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

A fair price for a X-ray, neck (cervical spine) is about $106 (about 1.2× the $89 Medicare rate). Childrens Hospital charges insurers about $147, or about $162 in cash — above the fair price. Located in New Orleans, LA.

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 $106. 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

✓ 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	$80 - $460	90%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$91 - $357	102%
Aetnamajor	$325 - $454	366%
Cignamajor	$460 - $488	517%
Humanamajor	$487	548%
Ambetter (Centene)	$29 - $342	33%
CDPHP	$265 - $460	298%
Harvard Pilgrim	$275 - $366	309%
Tufts Health Plan	$332 - $333	373%
UniCare	$141	159%
+ 8 smaller / regional plans	$329 - $487

Excludes 2 rental-network / third-party entries (e.g. Multiplan, PHCS) — these are pricing networks, not insurers.

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 162), 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: 72040.

Insurance Before you use insurance

Call your insurance company to confirm Childrens Hospital is in-network.
Ask your insurer whether prior approval is required for CPT code 72040.
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 Childrens Hospital

Compare: X-ray, neck (cervical spine) at other LA hospitals

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