Lower back X-ray cost in Carlsbad, NM — inpatient
In Carlsbad-Artesia, NM, 2 hospitals list a cash price for X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine), 2 or 3 views as an inpatient: from $313.20 to $316.20, with a median of $314.70. The lowest listed price is at Carlsbad Medical Center — $1.50 less than the median here. Across New Mexico, the median is $321.85 at 10 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 72100, as an inpatient (admitted to hospital) . Collected Sep 27, 2026; the hospital files themselves were last updated between Feb 20, 2026 and Apr 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 Carlsbad-Artesia, NM.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlsbad Medical Center lowest Carlsbad, NM · (575) 887-4570 SP-LS SPN 2 TO 3V DR | $313.20 | $1,566.00 | $313.20–$1,456.38 | 80% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 RADEX SPINE LUMBOSACRAL 2/3 VIEWS | $316.20 | $527.00 | $33.93–$500.65 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 UC XR L-SPINE 2/3 VWS | $316.20 | $527.00 | $33.93–$500.65 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 XR L-SPINE 2/3 VWS | $436.38 | $727.30 | $33.93–$690.93 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 CB XR L-SPINE 2/3 VWS | $436.38 | $727.30 | $33.93–$690.93 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
Inpatient: lowest $313.20, median $314.70, highest $316.20.
As an outpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $236.40 — that is the price to compare if you are not being admitted.
Cash or insurance?
At 2 of 2 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 lower back X-ray shows the bones of the lumbar spine in two or three views. It is used after injuries, for suspected fractures and for back pain with warning signs.
What the price covers
The price usually covers taking the images. The radiologist's reading may be billed separately.