Lumbar radiofrequency ablation cost in Pittsburgh, PA
In Pittsburgh, PA, 15 hospitals list a cash price for radiofrequency ablation of facet joint nerves, lower back, one level: from $1,625.10 to $14,184.60, with a median of $4,192.80. The lowest listed price is at Armstrong County Memorial Hospital — $2,567.70 less than the median here. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $2,982.30 at 64 hospitals.
- The median here, $4,192.80, is 61% above the US median of $2,606.00.
- Pittsburgh, PA ranks 2nd of 2 metro areas in Pennsylvania by median, cheapest first.
- Every hospital here lists a cash price below its full list price.
Cash prices at 15 facilities across 10 cities for code 64635, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Nov 10, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Jan 1, 2026 and Oct 28, 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 Pittsburgh, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong County Memorial Hospital lowest Kittanning, PA DESTRUCT/NEUR FACET L/S SING J File of Mar 2, 2026 · source file | $1,625.10 | $5,417.00 | $1,083.40–$5,417.00 | 70% |
| Uniontown Hospital Uniontown, PA · (724) 430-5000 DESTROY LUMB/SAC FACET JNT File of Jul 9, 2026 · source file | $2,244.50 | $4,489.00 | $171.55–$4,409.97 | 50% |
| UPMC Jameson New Castle, PA · (724) 656-4100 DEST LUMB/SAC FACET JNT W IMG File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $2,267.40 | $3,779.00 | $618.25–$4,602.81 | 40% |
| Butler Memorial Hospital Butler, PA Destroy Facet Int Lum/Sac File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,450.00 | $3,500.00 | $654.50–$3,675.00 | 30% |
| Butler Memorial Hospital one side Butler, PA Radiofrequency Ls 1St Lvl Lt+1 more line at this price File of Jan 1, 2026 · source file | $2,450.00 | $3,500.00 | $654.50–$3,675.00 | 30% |
| UPMC St Margaret Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 784-4000 DEST LUMB/SAC FACET JNT W IMG File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $2,615.40 | $4,359.00 | $618.25–$3,738.24 | 40% |
| Uniontown Hospital one side Uniontown, PA · (724) 430-5000 DESTRUCTION OF LOWER OR SACRAL SPINAL FACET JOINT NERVES USING IMAGING GUIDANCE; SINGLE FACET JOINT+1 more line at this price File of Jul 9, 2026 · source file | $2,931.50 | $5,863.00 | $171.55–$4,409.97 | 50% |
| Uniontown Hospital Uniontown, PA · (724) 430-5000 DESTRUCTION OF LOWER OR SACRAL SPINAL FACET JOINT NERVES USING IMAGING GUIDANCE; SINGLE FACET JOINT File of Jul 9, 2026 · source file | $2,931.50 | $5,863.00 | $171.55–$4,409.97 | 50% |
| UPMC McKeesport McKeesport, PA · (412) 664-2000 DST FCT JT LM/SA 1ST W IMG UNI File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $3,012.60 | $5,021.00 | $618.25–$4,602.81 | 40% |
| UPMC East Monroeville, PA · (412) 357-3000 DST FCT JT LM/SA 1ST W IMG UNI File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $3,205.20 | $5,342.00 | $618.25–$4,602.81 | 40% |
| UPMC Passavant - McCandless Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 367-6700 HC DES LUM/SAC FACET JNT W IMG File of Mar 7, 2026 · source file | $4,192.80 | $6,988.00 | $618.25–$5,939.80 | 40% |
| UPMC Presbyterian Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 647-2345 DST FCT JT LM/SA 1ST W IMG UNI+1 more line at this price File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $4,494.60 | $7,491.00 | $626.83–$6,367.35 | 40% |
| Allegheny Valley Hospital Natrona Heights, PA · (412) 224-5100 HC DEST PARAVER FACT NRV LUMB/SAC SNGL File of Oct 28, 2026 · source file | $5,413.10 | $7,030.00 | $157.22–$5,934.79 | 23% |
| Canonsburg General Hospital Canonsburg, PA · (724) 745-6100 HC DEST PARAVER FACT NRV LUMB/SAC SNGL File of Oct 28, 2026 · source file | $5,483.40 | $7,030.00 | $157.22–$5,912.91 | 22% |
| West Penn Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 578-5000 HC DEST PARAVER FACT NRV LUMB/SAC SNGL File of Oct 28, 2026 · source file | $5,702.03 | $7,811.00 | $199.77–$6,591.80 | 27% |
| Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 359-3131 HC DEST PARAVER FACT NRV LUMB/SAC SNGL File of Oct 28, 2026 · source file | $5,936.36 | $7,811.00 | $157.22–$6,548.01 | 24% |
| UPMC Mercy Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 DEST LUMB/SAC FACET JNT W IMG File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $7,348.20 | $12,247.00 | $620.91–$11,022.30 | 40% |
| UPMC Mercy one side Pittsburgh, PA · (412) 232-8111 DST LUMB/SAC FCT JNT WIMG L+1 more line at this price File of Mar 6, 2026 · source file | $7,348.20 | $12,247.00 | $197.27–$11,022.30 | 40% |
| Highlands Hospital Connellsville, PA · (724) 628-1500 DESTRUC LUMBAR SACRAL SINGLE FACET JOINT File of Feb 2, 2026 · source file | $14,184.60 | $23,641.00 | $7,967.02–$18,439.98 | 40% |
Outpatient: lowest $1,625.10, median $4,192.80, highest $14,184.60 — a 8.7× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 14 facilities here, median $4,343.70. Inpatient and outpatient prices are not comparable and are kept on separate pages: the inpatient charge covers admission, not the same purchase.
Cash or insurance?
At 15 of 15 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 lumbar radiofrequency ablation is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Lumbar radiofrequency ablation explained.