CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)
Facility: UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Billing Code: 72131 (CPT)
Highest price of the 9 PA hospitals we have prices for — worth calling around.
Black dot = this hospital, among the 9 PA 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 $206 (about 1.9× the $107 Medicare rate). UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh charges insurers about $542, or about $3,224 in cash — well above the fair price. Located in Pittsburgh, PA.
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 $206. 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.
4 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 | $350 - $2,525 | 328% |
| Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor | $108 - $2,686 | 101% |
| Aetnamajor | $112 - $2,955 | 105% |
| Cignamajor | $109 - $2,955 | 102% |
| AmeriHealth | $109 - $519 | 102% |
| Geisinger | $570 - $2,415 | 534% |
| HealthPartners | $536 | 502% |
| UPMC Health Plan | $320 - $1,277 | 300% |
| + 7 smaller / regional plans | $101 - $4,836 |
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 UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Compare: CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) at other PA hospitals
- Penn Highlands Connellsville · Connellsville $83
- Heritage Valley Beaver · Beaver $99
- Heritage Valley Sewickley · Sewickley $99
- Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center · Enola $103
- Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center · Lancaster $104
- Allegheny Valley Hospital · Natrona $106
- Uniontown Hospital · Uniontown $106
- Allegheny General Hospital · Pittsburgh $106
Insurance negotiated median for the same procedure, sorted lowest first.