Lumbar radiofrequency ablation cost in Cincinnati, OH — inpatient
In Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN, 10 hospitals list a cash price for radiofrequency ablation of facet joint nerves, lower back, one level as an inpatient: from $419.25 to $3,153.00, with a median of $2,595.80. The lowest listed price is at Bethesda North — $2,176.55 less than the median here. Across Ohio, the median is $3,065.25 at 74 hospitals.
Cash prices at 10 facilities across 5 cities for code 64635, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Apr 1, 2026 and Jul 1, 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 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda North lowest Cincinnati, OH · (513) 865-1111 HC Destroy Lumb/Sac Facet Jnt | $419.25 | $559.00 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 636-3333 Pr Dstr Nrolytc Agnt Parverteb Fct Sngl Lmbr/Sacral|By Midlevel | $816.51 | $1,601.00 | $86.79–$1,376.61 | 49% | — source file |
| Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 636-3333 Pr Dstr Nrolytc Agnt Parverteb Fct Sngl Lmbr/Sacral|By Specialist | $816.51 | $1,601.00 | $102.11–$1,601.00 | 49% | — source file |
| University of Cincinnati Medical Center Cincinnati, OH · (513) 584-1000 Hc Ablat Lum 1St Lvl Uni Inc Img | $1,137.60 | $1,896.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| West Chester Hospital West Chester, OH · (513) 298-7701 Hc Ablat Lum 1St Lvl Uni Inc Img | $1,137.60 | $1,896.00 | — | 40% | Jul 1, 2026 source file |
| McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital Oxford, OH · (513) 523-2111 HC Destroy Nrv Lbr/Sacr Fjt W Img | $2,038.60 | $2,718.14 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Health Fairfield Hospital Fairfield, OH · (513) 870-7000 HC Rf Destruct Lum Single | $3,153.00 | $5,255.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health West Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 215-5000 HC Rf Destruct Lum Single | $3,153.00 | $5,255.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| The Jewish Hospital-Mercy Health Cincinnati, OH · (513) 686-3000 HC Rf Destruct Lum Single | $3,153.00 | $5,255.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Kings Mills Hospital Mason, OH · (513) 637-9999 HC Rf Destruct Lum Single | $3,153.00 | $5,255.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| Mercy Health Anderson Hospital Cincinnati, OH · (513) 624-4500 HC Rf Destruct Lum Single | $3,153.00 | $5,255.00 | — | 40% | — source file |
| McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital both sides Oxford, OH · (513) 523-2111 HC Destroy Nrv Lbr/Sacr Fjt W Img Bilat | $4,077.22 | $5,436.29 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Bethesda North both sides Cincinnati, OH · (513) 865-1111 HC Destroy Nrv Lbr/Sacr Fjt W Img Bilat | $4,077.22 | $5,436.29 | — | 25% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $419.25, median $2,595.80, highest $3,153.00 — a 7.5× difference within the same market.
Both sides : lowest $4,077.22, median $4,077.22, highest $4,077.22.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 11 facilities here, median $2,038.60 — 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
Radiofrequency ablation uses heat to disable the small nerves that carry pain from lower back facet joints, using imaging to guide the needle.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the injection and imaging guidance. The steroid or other medicine may be billed separately.