CMS Price Transparency Data

CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine)

Facility: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Billing Code: 72131 (CPT)

The BaseRate · fair price low confidence

A fair price for this

$151

about 1.4× the $107 Medicare rate · typically $77–$979

modeled estimate · not a bill or quote

What this hospital charges insurers

$71

Below the fair price — a good deal

about $80 under the fair price · 0.7× Medicare

Medicare pays $107 Fair price $151 This hospital $71 Hospital's list price $1,844

How we calculate the fair BaseRate →

How this hospital compares to other TX hospitals

One of the lower prices — 6 of 8 other TX hospitals charge more for the same procedure.

Cheapest $46 Priciest $105

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

A fair price for a CT scan, lower back (lumbar spine) is about $151 (about 1.4× the $107 Medicare rate). University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center charges insurers about $71 — below the fair price — a good deal. Located in Houston, TX.

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	$86 - $2,452	81%
Blue Cross Blue Shieldmajor	$71 - $2,354	66%
Aetnamajor	$106 - $2,452	99%
Cignamajor	$117 - $2,452	110%
Humanamajor	$251 - $2,517	235%
+ 14 smaller / regional plans	$34 - $2,779

Government programs also on file: Medicare, Military & VA.

Excludes 3 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, 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 University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center 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 University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

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

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