Spinal tap cost in Maryland
In Maryland, 6 hospitals publish a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic: from $86.92 to $3,459.58, with a median of $577.32. The lowest price is at Atlantic General Hospital (Berlin). The highest price is 39.8× the lowest.
- The median here, $577.32, is 33% below the US median of $859.25.
- That is 0.8× Medicare's 2026 national rate for the same service ($721.17).
- Maryland ranks 9th of 50 states by median, cheapest first.
- 2 of 6 hospitals list a cash price equal to their full list price, with no self-pay discount.
Why Maryland prices look low: Maryland is the only state where a commission (the HSCRC) sets hospital rates for every payer, so its hospitals publish prices far below the rest of the country. A separate physician fee may still apply.
Maryland law (Health-General §19-214.1) requires hospitals to give free medically necessary care to patients with family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and to cut the bill by 75% up to 250% and 60% up to 300%. With medical debt above 25% of family income in a year, discounts reach up to 500%. Immigration status does not count. Ask the hospital for its financial assistance application. Other states' laws.
Outpatient cash prices, one line per hospital — its lowest listed price for code 62270. Prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Collected Sep 27, 2026. See them on a map
Hospitals in Maryland, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic General Hospital lowest Berlin · Ocean Pines, MD Spinal puncture, lumbar, diagnostic | $86.92 | $86.92 | Apr 10, 2026 source file |
| UPMC Western Maryland Cumberland · Cumberland, MD-WV LUMBAR PUNCTURE | $175.80 | $293.00 | Mar 2, 2026 source file |
| Union Hospital of Cecil County Elkton · Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD PUNCTURE,SPINAL,LUMBAR,DIAGNOSTIC GLP | $485.03 | $485.03 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| The Kennedy Krieger Institute Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC LUMBAR PUNCTURE, DIAGNOSTIC | $669.60 | $837.00 | Aug 27, 2026 source file |
| TidalHealth Peninsula Salisbury · Salisbury, MD HC LUMBAR PUNCTURE | $1,023.10 | $1,043.98 | Mar 19, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Medical Center Baltimore · Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD HC SPINAL PUNCTURE,LUMBAR,DIAGNOSTIC | $3,459.58 | $3,530.18 | Jan 1, 2026 source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 2 | $669.60 | $2,064.59 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV | 1 | $175.80 | $175.80 |
| Ocean Pines, MD | 1 | $86.92 | $86.92 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1 | $485.03 | $485.03 |
| Salisbury, MD | 1 | $1,023.10 | $1,023.10 |
What spinal tap is, what the price covers and why prices differ: Spinal tap explained.
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic in other states
- Alabama$674.88
- Alaska$893.88
- Arizona$648.16
- Arkansas$680.68
- California$1,320.80
- Colorado$906.27
- Connecticut$1,147.50
- Delaware$1,149.53
- District of Columbia$999.97, 3 hospitals
- Florida$1,245.30
- Georgia$1,267.32
- Hawaii$1,283.10
- Idaho$842.55
- Illinois$969.60
- Indiana$1,025.25
- Iowa$603.85
- Kansas$554.40
- Kentucky$687.26
- Louisiana$458.49
- Maine$523.25
- Massachusetts$1,463.00
- Michigan$856.05
- Minnesota$742.15
- Mississippi$476.70
- Missouri$667.93
- Montana$436.00
- Nebraska$508.80
- Nevada$785.35
- New Hampshire$548.50
- New Jersey$943.92
- New Mexico$853.31
- New York$1,185.00
- North Carolina$813.75
- North Dakota$862.97
- Ohio$1,071.00
- Oklahoma$622.87
- Oregon$995.48
- Pennsylvania$1,222.50
- Puerto Rico$1,050.00, 3 hospitals
- Rhode Island$1,091.65
- South Carolina$1,012.46
- South Dakota$1,018.44
- Tennessee$402.00
- Texas$1,045.65
- Utah$765.59
- Vermont$844.20
- Virginia$859.25
- Washington$992.00
- West Virginia$1,005.50
- Wisconsin$605.00
- Wyoming$725.76
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.