healthcosts.net

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) CT scan (without contrast) at MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center

515 College St, Cedar Falls, IA · MercyOne · · NPI 1942241955

Source: hospital's published price file ↗ · Published Mar 31, 2026 · Ingested Aug 3, 2026

$1,609.40

Cash price

?

Discounted cash price

What a hospital charges a self-pay patient who pays directly, without going through insurance — usually well below the gross charge.

Example: A CT scan has a $3,200 gross charge but an $850 discounted cash price. Ask for it by name when scheduling — hospitals don't always advertise it up front.

Full explanation →

What you pay up front if you don't use insurance.

$2,476.00

Gross charge

?

Gross charge (chargemaster price)

The hospital's full, undiscounted list price — pulled from its internal "chargemaster" price list. Almost no one actually pays this.

Example: A chest X-ray has a gross charge of $1,450. The same hospital's discounted cash price for the same X-ray is $180 — the gross charge mostly anchors negotiations, not what patients pay.

Full explanation →

The hospital's undiscounted list price — almost no one pays this.

$98.49 with MEDICARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATES HEALTH PLANS vs $2,476.00 with IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH — same scan, same building. Share

Negotiated rates by payer
?

Negotiated rate

The price a specific insurance plan agreed to pay the hospital for a service — it varies by insurer, and even by plan within the same insurer.

Example: The same knee MRI has a negotiated rate of $904 with one insurer's PPO plan and $1,509 with another's — identical hospital, identical scan.

Full explanation →

Payer
?

Payer

The insurance company footing the bill — Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and so on.

Example: "Blue Cross Blue Shield" is the payer. Its negotiated rate for an MRI might be $904, while a different payer's negotiated rate for the same scan is $1,509.

Full explanation →
Plan
?

Plan

The specific product an insurer sells — e.g. "Blue Cross PPO 500" — which sets your deductible, coinsurance and negotiated rates.

Example: Two people both insured by Aetna can owe very different amounts for the same MRI: $50 with an HMO plan's flat copay, or the full $1,200 toward a high-deductible PPO plan's unmet deductible.

Full explanation →
Negotiated rate vs. cash
MEDICARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATES HEALTH PLANS MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $98.49 ↓ -94%
AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE AETNA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $98.49 ↓ -94%
MEDIGOLD MEDICARE ADVANTAGE MERCYONE HEALTH PLAN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $98.49 ↓ -94%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLMARK MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $99.48 ↓ -94%
UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $100.46 ↓ -94%
HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADVANTAGE UNITYPOINT HEALTH PARTNERS MEDICARE ADV $101.51 ↓ -94%
WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE WELLPOINT MEDICARE ADVANTAGE $102.51 ↓ -94%
IOWA TOTAL CARE IOWA TOTAL CARE MEDICAID $104.98 ↓ -93%
MOLINA MEDICAID MOLINA MEDICAID $106.01 ↓ -93%
WELLPOINT MEDICAID WELLPOINT MEDICAID $106.42 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - WY WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MI WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - PA (INDEPENDENCE) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - IL ALTERNATE WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - AK (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - CO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - WA (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK WESTERN WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - OK WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - PA (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - VT WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BCN DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - VA (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - TX WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - KY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - FEDERAL WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - WA (PREMERA) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - AZ WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - RI WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
PRE-EMPLOYMENT WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - OR (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - SC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CARE NETWORK WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - VA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - WI (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK HMO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - DC (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - NY HIGHMARK NORTHEASTERN WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MT WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - KS WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NY (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - ID (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - UT (REGENCE) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - ME (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - FL WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - GA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - LA WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NY (EXCELLUS) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - SD (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MD (CAREFIRST) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
WC DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - CT (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - WV (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE SHIELD - CA WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - DE (HIGHMARK) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - IA (WELLMARK) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - IL WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - TN WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - AR WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NE WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NV (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - OH (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MS WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - PA (CAPITAL) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE DISTINCTION TRANSPLANT WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - IN (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MO (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MA WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - CA (ANTHEM) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - AL WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - ND WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
KAISER DOMESTIC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BCBS GENERIC WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - MN WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATORS OF MASSACHUSETTS WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - HI WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - ID WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NJ (HORIZON) WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
BLUE CROSS - NM WELLMARK PPO $106.81 ↓ -93%
AMISH HOSPITAL AID AMISH HOSPITAL AID $133.67 ↓ -92%
OSCAR OSCAR $154.24 ↓ -90%
CENTIVO CENTIVO $166.84 ↓ -90%
AMBETTER AMBETTER MARKETPLACE $168.85 ↓ -90%
NOVA CLAIMDOC $202.01 ↓ -87%
CLAIMDOC CLAIMDOC $202.01 ↓ -87%
GEHA UNITED HEALTHCARE $240.48 ↓ -85%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE $240.48 ↓ -85%
WEBTPA AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
COVENTRY AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
ALLIED BENEFIT SYSTEMS AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
LUCENT HEALTH AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
LUMINARE HEALTH AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
ASR HEALTH BENEFITS AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
FIRST HEALTH AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
AETNA AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
MERITAIN AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
MEDICAL MUTUAL AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
AETNA DOMESTIC AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
AETNA EAP AETNA $569.75 ↓ -65%
MEDICAL ASSOCIATES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $581.86 ↓ -64%
HEALTH CHOICES MEDICAL ASSOCIATES $581.86 ↓ -64%
HEALTH PARTNERS HEALTH PARTNERS $809.65 ↓ -50%
MIDLANDS CHOICE MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
MIDLANDS MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
AUXIANT MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
MEDICA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
CIGNA MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
CIGNA EAP MIDLANDS CHOICE PPO $1,757.96 ↑ +9%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UNITED HEALTHCARE DEERE PREMIER $2,253.16 ↑ +40%
UNITED HEALTHCARE UHC OPTUM BEHAVIORAL HEALTH $2,476.00 ↑ +54%
IOWA DEPT OF PUBLIC HEALTH CARE FOR YOURSELF $2,476.00 ↑ +54%

Visitor-reported prices

visitor-reported
Report what you paid sign in to post

Comments

Add a comment sign in to post

Lower Back (Lumbar Spine) CT scan (without contrast) at other Iowa hospitals

Hospital City Cash price Negotiated range
UnityPoint Health - Iowa Lutheran Hospital Des Moines $2,427.55 $43.57 – $892.12
UnityPoint Health - Allen Hospital Waterloo $841.89 $43.57 – $554.59
MercyOne Genesis Davenport West Medical Center Davenport $1,258.80 $101.79 – $142.51
MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center Dubuque $1,507.35 $93.79 – $2,319.00
MercyOne New Hampton Medical Center New Hampton $1,517.10 $924.03 – $2,334.00
MercyOne Clinton Medical Center Clinton $2,057.25 $96.27 – $3,165.00
MercyOne Dyersville Medical Center Dyersville $1,517.10 $882.25 – $2,627.15
MercyOne Oelwein Medical Center Oelwein $1,517.10 $892.05 – $2,334.00

All Iowa hospitals for this procedure →