Spinal tap cost in Ames, IA — inpatient
In Ames, IA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic as an inpatient: from $921.94 to $921.94, with a median of $921.94. Across Iowa, the median is $486.34 at 66 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 62270, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jul 27, 2026 and Jul 27, 2026.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County Hospital Boone, IA · (515) 432-3140 Removal of cerebrospinal fluid with lower back spinal tap for diagnostic test | $921.94 | $1,152.42 | $472.49–$1,839.82 | 20% | Jul 27, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $921.94, median $921.94, highest $921.94.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $233.60 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At the one hospital here that publishes insurer rates for this code, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated. If you have insurance but have not met your deductible, you usually pay your plan's negotiated rate, which falls somewhere in the "Insurers pay" column. Paying cash can cost less, but a cash payment usually does not count toward your deductible. Ask the hospital for both numbers before you book.
What it is
A spinal tap removes a small amount of spinal fluid from the lower back with a needle. It is used for meningitis, bleeding and some neurological diseases.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure. The lab tests on the fluid are billed separately.
1 row held back from this comparison
It is priced below $1 or below a tenth of the national median for code 62270 ($836.16). Such a line is almost always a physician's fee billed separately, an assistant's share or a placeholder — a real charge, but not the price of the procedure itself.
| Story County Hospital Nevada, IAHC SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR DIAG | $43.20 | file |