Lower back X-ray cost in Carlsbad, NM
In Carlsbad-Artesia, NM, 2 hospitals list a cash price for X-ray of the lower back, 4 or more views: from $187.90 to $390.00, with a median of $288.95. The lowest listed price is at Carlsbad Medical Center — $101.05 less than the median here. Across New Mexico, the median is $464.79 at 10 hospitals.
Cash prices at 2 facilities across 2 cities for code 72110, as an outpatient — the setting a self-pay patient normally buys. 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 SPNE 4VPLUS DR | $187.90 | $1,879.00 | $31.82–$1,747.47 | 90% | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 RADEX SPINE LUMBOSACRAL MINIMUM 4 VIEWS | $390.00 | $650.00 | $43.55–$617.50 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 UC XR L-SPINE COMP | $390.00 | $650.00 | $43.55–$617.50 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 XR L-SPINE COMP | $584.40 | $974.00 | $43.55–$925.30 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
| Artesia General Hospital Artesia, NM · (575) 748-3333 CB XR L-SPINE COMP | $584.40 | $974.00 | $43.55–$925.30 | 40% | Feb 20, 2026 source file |
Outpatient: lowest $187.90, median $288.95, highest $390.00 — a 2.1× difference within the same market.
As an inpatient, the same code is billed by 2 facilities here, median $382.90. 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 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
This is an X-ray of the lower back (lumbar spine and sacrum) with at least four views taken from different angles. It is used to look at the bones for fractures, arthritis, alignment problems or changes after surgery.
What the price covers
The hospital price usually covers taking the X-rays. The radiologist's reading is often billed separately as a professional fee.