Spinal tap cost in Riverside, CA — inpatient
In Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA, 10 hospitals list a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic as an inpatient: from $418.96 to $2,774.29, with a median of $1,320.80. The lowest listed price is at Palo Verde Hospital — $901.84 less than the median here. Across California, the median is $1,320.80 at 92 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 8 cities for code 62270, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Sep 2, 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Verde Hospital lowest Blythe, CA · (760) 922-4115 62270-Lumbar Puncture Diagnostic | $418.96 | $558.62 | — | 25% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center - Murrieta Murrieta, CA · (951) 290-4000 HC SPINAL LUMBAR PUNCTURE DIAGNOSTIC | $521.10 | $1,158.00 | $209.60–$868.50 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| Loma Linda University Childrens Hospital Loma Linda, CA · (909) 558-8000 HC SPINAL LUMBAR PUNCTURE DIAGNOSTIC | $1,057.05 | $2,349.00 | $469.80–$1,996.65 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Moreno Valley Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 251-6530 DIAGNOSTIC LUMBAR SPINAL PUNCTURE | $1,320.80 | $2,540.00 | $687.00–$2,043.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Fontana Fontana, CA · (909) 427-5000 DIAGNOSTIC LUMBAR SPINAL PUNCTURE | $1,320.80 | $2,540.00 | $687.00–$2,043.00 | 48% | — source file |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - Riverside Riverside, CA · (951) 353-2000 DIAGNOSTIC LUMBAR SPINAL PUNCTURE | $1,320.80 | $2,540.00 | $687.00–$2,043.00 | 48% | — source file |
| San Antonio Regional Hospital Upland, CA · (909) 985-2811 Removal of cerebrospinal fluid with lower back spinal tap for diagnostic test | $1,412.00 | $2,838.00 | $81.91–$4,115.10 | 50% | Apr 2, 2026 source file |
| Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda, CA · (909) 558-4000 HC SPINAL LUMBAR PUNCTURE DIAGNOSTIC | $1,431.00 | $3,180.00 | $636.00–$2,862.00 | 55% | Sep 2, 2026 source file |
| St Mary Medical Center Apple Valley, CA · (760) 242-2311 HC DIAGNOSTIC LUMBAR SPINAL PUNCTURE | $1,651.20 | $3,440.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| St Mary Medical Center Apple Valley, CA · (760) 242-2311 HC ED SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR DIAGNOSTIC CDM | $1,651.20 | $3,440.00 | — | 52% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Riverside University Medical Center Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 486-4000 HC Spinal Lumbar Puncture Diagnostic | $2,774.29 | $2,774.29 | $121.83–$2,774.29 | — | — source file |
| Riverside University Medical Center Moreno Valley, CA · (951) 486-4000 HC Spinal Lumbar Puncture Diagnostic | $2,774.29 | $2,774.29 | $121.83–$2,774.29 | — | — source file |
Inpatient: lowest $418.96, median $1,320.80, highest $2,774.29 — a 6.6× difference within the same market.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $1,083.55 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 7 of 8 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at none is it 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.