Spinal tap cost in Forest City, NC
In Forest City, NC, 1 hospital lists a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic: from $506.45 to $506.45, with a median of $506.45. Across North Carolina, the median is $843.88 at 51 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 62270, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutherford Regional Medical Center Rutherfordton, NC · (828) 286-5000 Spinal puncture, lumbar, diagnostic | $506.45 | $1,266.13 | $1,143.00 | 60% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $506.45, median $506.45, highest $506.45.
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 and below every plan's rate. 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.