US Health Care Costs

X-ray of the lower back, 2 or 3 views in California

CPT 72100 · hospital facility charge

Cash prices range from $323 to $3,203 at the 16 California hospitals whose price files we have read so far.

Estimate what you would pay

$575typical cash price
$251typical commercial insurer rate
$323–$3.2kcash price range, 14 hospitals
Cash price by hospital, lowest first
Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas
$323
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
$323
University of California Davis Medical Center
$385
El Camino Health
$406
Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley
$421
Uci Health-Lakewood
$574
Uci Health-Orange
$574
Grossmont Hospital
$577
Sharp Memorial Hospital
$577
Mercy Medical Center Redding
$691
Stanford Health Care
$709
Southern California Hospital at Hollywood
$861
Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center
$3,110
Good Samaritan Hospital
$3,203

California typical cash price: $575

California hospitals compared

HospitalCityList priceCash priceInsurers (median)
Scripps Memorial Hospital - EncinitasEncinitas$1,291$323$434$134–$668 · 79 plans
Scripps Memorial Hospital La JollaLa Jolla$1,291$323$434$134–$586 · 79 plans
University of California Davis Medical CenterSacramento$964$385$28$28–$144 · 23 plans
El Camino HealthMountain View$1,623$406–
Stanford Health Care Tri-ValleyPleasanton$1,052$421$257$208–$257 · 3 plans
Uci Health-LakewoodLakewood$1,434$574$208$198–$301 · 5 plans
Uci Health-OrangeOrange$1,434$574$208$198–$301 · 5 plans
Grossmont HospitalLa Mesa$769$577$245$42–$537 · 23 plans
Sharp Memorial HospitalSan Diego$769$577$538$323–$615 · 11 plans
Mercy Medical Center ReddingRedding$1,375$691$271$148–$1,326 · 13 plans
Stanford Health CareStanford$1,773$709–
Southern California Hospital at HollywoodHollywood$861$861$123$19–$606 · 27 plans
Los Robles Hospital & Medical CenterThousand Oaks$3,110$3,110$551$119–$2,799 · 28 plans
Good Samaritan HospitalSan Jose$3,203$3,203$1,682$156–$3,059 · 34 plans
Hoag Memorial Hospital PresbyterianNewport Beach––$153$122–$175 · 4 plans
Ronald Reagan Ucla Medical CenterLos Angeles––$183$114–$333 · 9 plans
Only hospitals whose price files we've read are listed. The price is the hospital's part; the doctor (radiologist, surgeon, anesthesiologist) usually bills separately.

Common questions

How much does X-ray of the lower back, 2 or 3 views cost at a hospital in California?

At 14 California hospitals that publish a cash price, the typical price for X-ray of the lower back, 2 or 3 views is $575, and most charge between $342 and $2,435. The typical rate commercial insurers have negotiated is $251. These are hospital prices; independent clinics, imaging centers and labs often charge less.

Is it cheaper to pay cash or use insurance for X-ray of the lower back, 2 or 3 views?

At 2 of the 12 hospitals in California that publish both, the cash price is lower than the typical insurer rate. Remember that with insurance you pay only your share of that rate once your deductible is met, and that cash payments usually don't count toward your deductible.

Which hospital in California has the lowest cash price for X-ray of the lower back, 2 or 3 views?

Of the hospitals whose price files we have read, the lowest published cash price is $323 at Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas. Confirm the price with the hospital before you book.

Does the price include the doctor?

No. These are the hospital's own charges, often called the facility fee. The doctors involved, such as the surgeon, the anesthesiologist or the radiologist who reads a scan, usually send a separate bill.

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