Spinal tap cost in Carlsbad, NM — inpatient
In Carlsbad-Artesia, NM, 1 hospital lists a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic as an inpatient: from $249.84 to $249.84, with a median of $249.84. Across New Mexico, the median is $853.31 at 10 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 Feb 20, 2026 and Feb 20, 2026.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in Carlsbad-Artesia, NM.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artesia General Hospital lowest Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 SPINAL FLUID TAP DIAGNOSTIC | $249.84 | $416.40 | $113.68–$395.58 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR DIAGNOSTIC | $1,246.67 | $2,077.79 | $567.24–$1,973.90 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $249.84, median $249.84, highest $249.84.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $623.87 — 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.