Spinal tap cost in Missouri
In Missouri, 26 hospitals publish a cash price for spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic: from $127.50 to $34,770.67, with a median of $340.57. The lowest price is at Mercy Hospital Lincoln (Elsberry) and 1 other hospital. The highest price is 272.7× the lowest.
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 25, 2026.
Lowest$127.50Mercy Hospital Lincoln + 1 more
Median$340.57half pay less
Highest$34,770.67in Missouri
Lowest saves$213.07vs the median
Hospitals in Missouri, cheapest first
| Hospital | Cash price | List price | File date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln lowest Elsberry · St. Louis, MO-IL Diagnostic Lumbar Spinal Puncture | $127.50 | $170.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospitals East Communities lowest Washington · St. Louis, MO-IL Diagnostic Lumbar Spinal Puncture | $127.50 | $170.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Stoddard Dexter · Dexter, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $135.85 | $209.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau · Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Diagnostic Lumbar Spinal Puncture | $159.75 | $213.00 | Jun 12, 2026 source file |
| Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR DIAGNOSTIC | $162.24 | $338.00 | — source file |
| Fitzgibbon Hospital Marshall · Marshall, MO Removal of cerebrospinal fluid with lower back spinal tap for diagnostic test | $241.94 | $302.43 | Feb 2, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Perry Perryville · Perryville, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Mlp | $258.70 | $398.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lincoln Troy · St. Louis, MO-IL Crna Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Pf | $260.00 | $400.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Aurora Aurora · Aurora, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Mlp | $266.50 | $410.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Cassville Cassville · Cassville, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Mlp | $266.50 | $410.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Carthage Carthage · Joplin, MO-KS Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Mlp | $287.95 | $443.00 | — source file |
| Mercy St. Francis Hospital Mountain View · West Plains, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Pf | $313.30 | $482.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital St Louis Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Mlp | $313.95 | $483.00 | — source file |
| Freeman Health System - Freeman West Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR DIAG | $367.18 | $917.96 | Sep 1, 2026 source file |
| Mercy Hospital Washington Washington · St. Louis, MO-IL Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx Pf | $369.20 | $568.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Joplin Joplin · Joplin, MO-KS Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $514.80 | $792.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital South Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $631.15 | $971.00 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Lebanon Lebanon · Lebanon, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $647.40 | $996.00 | — source file |
| St Joseph Medical Center Kansas City · Kansas City, MO-KS Hc Spinal Puncture,Lumbar,Diagnostic | $703.00 | $2,184.59 | Mar 17, 2026 source file |
| Curators of the University of Missouri Columbia · Columbia, MO LUMBAR PUNCTURE, DIAGNOSTIC-OPU | $906.00 | $1,510.00 | Dec 15, 2025 source file |
| Boone Hospital Center Columbia · Columbia, MO SPINAL PUNCTURE LUMBAR 62270 | $1,435.20 | $2,392.00 | Apr 1, 2026 source file |
| Shriners Childrens - St Louis Saint Louis · St. Louis, MO-IL DX LMBR SPI PNXR | $2,992.02 | $2,992.02 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Southeast Cape Girardeau · Cape Girardeau, MO-IL Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $3,065.25 | $4,715.77 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Jefferson Festus · St. Louis, MO-IL Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $8,481.10 | $13,047.84 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Springfield · Springfield, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $34,770.67 | $53,493.34 | — source file |
| Mercy Hospital Springfield Ozark · Springfield, MO Puncture Spinal/Lumbar Dx | $34,770.67 | $53,493.34 | — source file |
By metro area
Each metro page compares every listing, including prices for both sides of the body.
| Metro area | Hospitals | Lowest | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 8 | $127.50 | $341.58 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | 3 | $287.95 | $367.18 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 2 | $159.75 | $1,612.50 |
| Columbia, MO | 2 | $906.00 | $1,170.60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 2 | $162.24 | $432.62 |
| Springfield, MO | 2 | $34,770.67 | $34,770.67 |
| Aurora, MO | 1 | $266.50 | $266.50 |
| Cassville, MO | 1 | $266.50 | $266.50 |
| Dexter, MO | 1 | $135.85 | $135.85 |
| Lebanon, MO | 1 | $647.40 | $647.40 |
| Marshall, MO | 1 | $241.94 | $241.94 |
| Perryville, MO | 1 | $258.70 | $258.70 |
| West Plains, MO | 1 | $313.30 | $313.30 |
What it is
A spinal tap removes a small amount of spinal fluid from the lower back with a needle. It is used for meningitis, bleeding and some neurological diseases.
What the price covers
The price usually covers the procedure. The lab tests on the fluid are billed separately.
Spinal tap (lumbar puncture), diagnostic in other states
- Alabama$1,721.50
- Alaska$1,437.54
- Arizona$488.15
- Arkansas$526.18
- California$1,320.80
- Colorado$491.58
- Connecticut$420.00
- Delaware$1,149.53
- Florida$1,597.40
- Georgia$2,049.06
- Hawaii$921.60
- Idaho$1,886.00
- Illinois$752.00
- Indiana$1,087.63
- Iowa$342.40
- Kansas$1,160.49
- Kentucky$769.21
- Louisiana$494.48
- Maine$369.70
- Maryland$511.30
- Massachusetts$1,047.90
- Michigan$707.85
- Minnesota$698.55
- Mississippi$271.01
- Montana$253.60
- Nebraska$343.14
- Nevada$785.35
- New Hampshire$495.55
- New Jersey$824.78
- New Mexico$500.01
- New York$819.50
- North Carolina$843.88
- North Dakota$890.99
- Ohio$1,038.60
- Oklahoma$507.55
- Oregon$562.50
- Pennsylvania$1,439.83
- Rhode Island$592.80
- South Carolina$719.00
- South Dakota$940.80
- Tennessee$282.90
- Texas$1,134.64
- Utah$746.52
- Vermont$240.10
- Virginia$936.20
- Washington$1,006.70
- West Virginia$995.75
- Wisconsin$580.00
- Wyoming$421.19
Median cash price across the state's hospitals.