Lower back X-ray cost in Reading, PA
In Reading, PA, 1 hospital lists a cash price for X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine), 2 or 3 views: from $138.37 to $138.37, with a median of $138.37. Across Pennsylvania, the median is $296.80 at 65 hospitals.
Cash prices at 1 facility for code 72100, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. Collected Sep 22, 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 Reading, PA.
Hospitals, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | Insurers pay | Off list | File date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph Regional Health Network lowest Reading, PA · (610) 378-2000 XR Spine Lumbosacral 2 or 3 Views | $138.37 | $532.00 | $90.38–$577.91 | 74% | — source file |
| St Joseph Regional Health Network lowest Reading, PA · (610) 378-2000 72100 Spine Lumbosacral Anteropos Lateral | $138.37 | $532.00 | $90.38–$577.91 | 74% | — source file |
Outpatient: lowest $138.37, median $138.37, highest $138.37.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 1 facility here, median $138.37. 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 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
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.