Lumbar radiofrequency ablation cost in St. Louis, MO
In St. Louis, MO-IL, 5 hospitals list a cash price for radiofrequency ablation of facet joint nerves, lower back, one level: from $1,275.95 to $3,488.39, with a median of $1,684.15. The lowest listed price is at Mercy Hospital Lincoln — $408.20 less than the median here. Across Missouri, the median is $1,373.78 at 20 hospitals.
Cash prices at 5 facilities across 4 cities for code 64635, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 23, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between — and —.
Where each hospital's price falls
Each dot is one hospital's cash price on a scale from the lowest to the highest in St. Louis, MO-IL.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Dest Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sgl Pf | $1,275.95 | $1,963.00 | $2,330.58–$2,563.64 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Hchg Dest Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sgl Bil Pf | $1,275.95 | $1,963.00 | $2,330.58–$2,563.64 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $1,394.25 | $2,145.00 | $139.43–$2,145.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital South Saint Louis, MO · (314) 525-1000 Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $1,437.15 | $2,211.00 | $3,153.00–$6,631.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson Festus, MO Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $1,684.15 | $2,591.00 | $3,428.00–$8,893.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Washington Washington, MO Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $1,852.50 | $2,850.00 | $3,199.00–$7,801.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy, MO · (636) 528-8551 Bil Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $2,151.50 | $3,310.00 | $2,087.00–$3,194.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis Saint Louis, MO Bil Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $3,488.39 | $5,366.76 | $1,632.00–$3,185.00 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson Festus, MO Bil Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $4,782.87 | $7,358.26 | $1,918.72–$4,400.72 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Washington Washington, MO Bil Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $5,117.57 | $7,873.19 | $1,918.72–$2,444.85 | 35% | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital South Saint Louis, MO · (314) 525-1000 Bil Destruct Neu Facet W Imag Guid L/S Sngl | $5,285.88 | $8,132.13 | $1,918.72–$4,400.72 | 35% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $1,275.95, median $1,684.15, highest $3,488.39 — a 2.7× difference within the same market.
Cash or insurance?
At 4 of 5 hospitals that publish insurer rates for this code here, the cash price is below the highest rate a health plan has negotiated, and at 4 it is 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
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.