CMS Price Transparency Data

CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)

Facility: St Mary's General Hospital

Billing Code: 72131 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price high confidence

A fair price for this

$187

about 1.7× the $107 Medicare rate · typically $133–$225

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$163

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $24 under the fair price · 1.5× Medicare

Medicare pays $107 Fair price $187 This hospital $163 Cash price $123 Hospital's list price $2,799

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other NJ hospitals

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

Cheapest $118 Priciest $163

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

A fair price for a CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) is about $187 (about 1.7× the $107 Medicare rate). St Mary's General Hospital charges insurers about $163, or about $123 in cash — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Passaic, NJ.

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	$109 - $163	102%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$124	116%
Aetnamajor	$124 - $262	116%
Cignamajor	$182	170%
Humanamajor	$99	93%
AmeriHealth	$124 - $447	116%
Clover Health	$124	116%
WellCare	$124 - $167	116%
+ 4 smaller / regional plans	$124 - $219

Government programs also on file: Medicare, 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 123), 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 St Mary's General Hospital 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 St Mary's General Hospital

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

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